A/Prof Paul Duggan

The purpose of the invasion by the syncytiotrophoblast cells (STB) of maternal uterine arteries
and veins is to expose fetal chorionic villi directly to maternal blood, for exchange of oxygen,
nutrition and waste. Chorionic villi are very thin-walled blood vessels lined by fetal
endothelium. There are potentially hundreds of chorionic villi in each segment of placenta
supplied by a single branch of the maternal uterine artery. 
Early in pregnancy, when the baby is small, there are not many chorionic villi required.
However, as the baby develops, more and more chorionic villi grow in to the placental sinuses. 
This 'vascular tree' of chorionic villi keeps branching all through the pregnancy. The more
branches, the greater the fetal blood flow to and from the placenta.

Drawing of fetus (right of screen) and early placenta (left of screen) at about 8 weeks
after conception. The fetus is surrounded by a fluid-filled sac, which is called the
amniotic cavity. The wall of the sac is called the amnion and the fluid within is called
amniotic fluid. The fetal blood vessels end in tiny, finger-like projections of chorionic villi,
which bathe in maternal blood within the placental sinuses (not shown).
 In the chorionic villi, deoxygenated fetal blood is replenished with oxygen in exchange for
carbon dioxide, which is the waste produce of burning oxygen for cellular processes. Within
the fetal red blood cells, fetal haemoglobin is very efficient in collecting oxygen from mixed
placental blood. 
Only after birth does the baby switch to producing adult haemoglobin as the main oxygen
carrier in its red blood cells. The end result of this process is that humans are born with large,
though far from mature, brains. 
We are, for now, the dominant species on the planet, and the placenta is one of the underlying
reason why we have developed the capability to be so.
Maternal immune system tolerance and pregnancy
Normally, the maternal uterus would mount an immune response to reject a 'foreign' invader -
like bacteria. However, the maternal immune system does not mount an immune attack against
the syncytiotrophoblast cells (STB). 
You are going to learn more from the experts a little later in this section!

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