The placenta as a model for understanding the origin and evolution of vertebrate organs.

摘要: How organs originate and evolve is a question fundamental to understanding the evolution of complex multicellular life forms. Vertebrates have relatively standard body plan with more or less same conserved set organs. The placenta comparatively recently evolved organ, derived in many lineages independently. Using placentas as model, we discuss genetic basis for organ origins. We show that occurs by acquiring new functional attributes existing tissues, changes patterning development novel cell types. argue diversity genomic facilitated these physiological transformations are likely occurred during broadly. Finally, key aspect evolutionary origin they result from interactions between distinct populations.