Defining the association between trisomy 21 and placentation defects

PROJECT NARRATIVE Proper establishment of a functional placenta is integral to the short and long-term health of a person. People with Down’s Syndrome develop abnormal placentas and are coincidentally at an increased risk for chronic diseases that are closely associated with placental insufficiency. We hypothesize gene expression is altered in Down syndrome placentation and aim to clarify the mechanisms that account for corresponding placental defects.