Mary Spring: Punching into the fetal support network: A snapshot of the placenta’s vascular-rich villous tissue.

This MicroCT image of a placental tissue punch is a window into our research on placental development. The placenta's vascular-rich villous network plays a pivotal role in fetal growth. In cases of fetal growth restriction (FGR), maldeveloped villous and vascular structures limit blood flow and exchange, impacting fetal growth. Here, MicroCT technology offers spatial and topological insights that is limited with traditional histology. This image showcases our ability to explore the 3D morphology of placental structures, advancing our understanding of structural differences between normal and pathological placentae. Such insights have potential to better inform diagnostics and therapies for FGR.

This image was uploaded for the SGS Research Showcase 2023.