Placental Hormone

The production of steroid and protein

hormones by human trophoblasts is
greater in amount and diversity

Human Chorionic
Gonadotropin
HCG is a glycoprotein with biological
activity similar to luteinizing hormone
hCG is produced almost exclusively in
the placenta, low levels are
synthesized in the fetal kidney
Other fetal tissues produce either the
-subunit or intact hCG molecule

Various malignant tumors

also produce hCG, sometimes
in large amountsespecially
trophoblastic neoplasms
The detection of hCG in blood
or urine almost always
indicates pregnancy

Chemical Characteristics
Chorionic gonadotropin is a glycoprotein
with a molecular weight of 36,000 to
40,000 Da
It has the highest carbohydrate30
percent. The carbohydrate component,
and especially the terminal sialic acid,
protects the molecule from catabolism
he 36-hour plasma half-life of intact hCG
is much longer than the 2 hours for LH.

The hCG molecule is composed of two

dissimilar subunits termed a and subunits.
his hormone is structurally related to three
other glycoprotein hormonesLH, FSH, and
TSH
Recombination of an a- and a -subunit of
the four glycoprotein hormones gives a
molecule with biological activity
characteristic of the hormone from which
the -subunit was derived

Concentrations of hCG in
Serum and Urine

Regulation of hCG Synthesis and

Clearance
Placental gonadotropin-releasing hormone
(GnRH) is likely involved in the regulation
of hCG formation
Both GnRH and its receptor are expressed
by cytotrophoblasts and
syncytiotrophoblast
GnRH administration elevates circulating
hCG levels, and cultured trophoblast cells
respond to GnRH treatment with increased
hCG secretion

Pituitary GnRH production also is

regulated by inhibin and activin
In cultured placental cells, activin
stimulates and inhibin inhibits GnRH
and hCG production

Biological Functions of hCG

Abnormally High or Low hCG Levels

There are several higher maternal

plasma hCG levels are found:
multifetal pregnancy
erythroblastosis fetalis associated
with fetal hemolytic anemia
gestational trophoblastic disease

Human Placental Lactogen

hPL was concentrated in
syncytiotrophoblast
hPL detected as early as the second
or third week after fertilization.
hPL is demonstrated in
cytotrophoblasts before 6 weeks
(Maruo, 1992).

Chemical Characteristics and Synthesis

Human placental lactogen is a single,

nonglycosylated polypeptide chain with a
molecular weight of 22,279 Da.
Within 5 to 10 days after conception, hPL
is demonstrable in the placenta and can
be detected in maternal serum as early
as 3 weeks.
Maternal plasma concentrations are
linked to placental mass, and they rise
steadily until 34 to 36 weeksgestation.

Metabolic Actions
1.

2.

3.

hPL promotes maternal lipolysis with

increased circulating free fatty acid
levels.
hPL may aid maternal adaptation to
fetal energy requirements.
hPL is a potent angiogenic hormone.
It may serve an important function in
fetal vasculature formation

Other Placental Protein Hormones

Chorionic Adrenocorticotropin (ACTH)

Growth Hormone Variant
Hypothalamic-Like Releasing Hormones:
- Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone
(GnRH)
-Corticotropin-Releasing Hormone (CRH)
-Growth Hormone-Releasing Hormone
(GHGH)

Relaxin
Parathyroid HormoneRelated Protein
(PTH-rP)
Leptin
Neuropeptide Y
Inhibin and Activin

Placental Progesterone Production

Placental Estrogen
Production
The placenta produces huge amounts
of estrogens using bl oodborne
steroidal precursors from the
maternal and fetal adrenal glands
At 2 to 4 weeks of pregnancy, rising
hCG levels maintain production of
estradiol in the maternal corpus
luteum

Estrogen is produced during the

follicular and luteal phases through
the interaction of theca and
granulosa cells
Dehydroepiandrosterone (dhea) and
its sulfate (DHEA-S) are C 19-steroids
can also serve as estrogen
precursors

FETAL ADRENAL GLAND

PLACENTAL
INTERACTIONS

At term, the fetal adrenal glands weigh

the same as those of the adult
Daily steroid production of fetal adrenal
glands near term is 100 to 200 mg/day
It is compared with resting adult steroid
secretion of 30-40 mg/day.

Placental Estriol Synthesis

he estrogen products released
from the placenta are dependent
on the substrate available from
the developing fetus
Estradiol is the primary placental
estrogen secretori product at
term.

Fetal Adrenal Steroid

Precursor

The precursor for fetal adrenal

steroidogenesis is cholesterol
Plasma cholesterol and its esters are
present in the form of very-lowdensity lipoprotein (VLDL), LDL, and
HDL
LDL was most efective, HDL was
much less, and VLDL was devoid of
stimulatory activity

Fetal Conditions That Affect

Estrogen Production

Fetal Demise
Fetal Anencephaly
Fetal Adrenal Hypoplasia
Fetal-Placental Sulfatase Deficiency
Fetal-Placental Aromatase Deficiency
Trisomy 21Down Syndrome
Deficiency in Fetal LDL Cholesterol
Biosynthesis
Fetal Erythroblastosis

Maternal Adrenal
Dysfunction
Maternal Ovarian AndrogenProducing Tumors
Gestational Trophoblastic Disease

Thankyou..