Skip to main content
Figure 1 | Particle and Fibre Toxicology

Figure 1

From: Size dependent translocation and fetal accumulation of gold nanoparticles from maternal blood in the rat

Figure 1

Schematics of potential NP transport including the uterine wall, the amniotic membrane enclosing the individual fetus and the placental barrier; potential NP transport pathways: (1) across the trophoblastic layers and through their transtrophoblastic channels within the placenta and (2) across the uterine wall and amniotic membrane. Hemotrichorial rat placentas are reported to have transtrophoblastic canaliculi of about 20¿25 nm diameter through the trophoblastic layers II and III connecting maternal and fetal blood across the placental barrier [29],[31]. There is convincing evidence that these channels are continuous [30],[33] and are also present in the human placenta. At gestation day 18?±?1 the yolk sac has considerably shrunk and is not shown in these schematics.

Back to article page