Villous tree morphology: exchange surface and volume
Villous branching establishes an
increased diffusional surface and the villous SA/Vol reflects easiness
of nutrient exchange. Similar to our findings (Figure 3E), a
disproportional relation between surface area and volume has been
reported in PE placentas based on a stereological
approach51. However, some stereological estimates only
observed altered exchange surface areas in IUGR cases, and not for PE
alone52, 53. Stereology only provides estimates of 3D
quantitative parameters while quantification of MPM images represents
the intact 3D villi. 3D characterization by MPM will therefore aid in
more accurate quantification of villous trees to confirm or reject
abovementioned findings.