Tuesday, September 13, 2011

3.11 PLACENTA


the role of the placenta in the nutrition of the developing embryo
the placenta structure includes :
the umbilical cord, contains the umbilical arteries and the umbilical vein which connects the embryo to the placenta
the placenta grows out of the developing embryo not the mother, the blood vessels in the cord belongs to the baby
the placenta grows into the wall of the uterus

glucose, amino acids and fats in the mothers blood vessels-which is gained from food-travels into the wall of the uterus, and there the molecules will cross into the child's blood via the placenta.
the large surface area and thin barrier between the mother and the child makes this efficient.
nutrients that the child receives are taken from the mother
the child also produces molecules which exchanges into the maternal blood including CO2 and urea

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