The significance of ABC transporters in human placenta for the exposure of the fetus to xenobiotics

摘要: The placenta has an important role in transporting nutrients and oxygen to the fetus. Transplacental transport is, however, not restricted physiological exchange of agents, but includes majority, if all, xenobiotics maternal blood. Although passive diffusion is most common transfer mechanism, transporter proteins play a significant transplacental transfer. largest superfamily transporters one interesting groups regarding ATP-binding cassette (ABC) transporters. efflux ABC from families ABCB, ABCC ABCG their conjugates addition endogenous compounds. Many them probably protection fetus, as implicated animal studies. Both genetic polymorphisms, regulation, e.g. by hormones, can modify expression function Interference (e.g., inhibition) may significantly increase fetal exposure or drugs. different models be used study human placental These include perfusion, tissue preparations, explants, primary cell cultures, immortalized lines, cancer membrane vesicles cloning. When estimating contribution for localization taken into account level expression, functional status substrate specificity.