Minimal Transcriptional Variations Exist Among Equine Chorioallantoic Locations

The placenta plays a critical role in ensuring the health of both the mother and her offspring. Normal placental development and function rely on intricate gene expression networks. While several studies have identified genes associated with placental functions, molecular placental research in horses has been primarily restricted to a single placental site, unlike human research. We hypothesize that molecular differences among the different parts of the equine diffuse placenta are minimal. In the present study, we compared the transcriptome of the body, pregnant, and non-pregnant horns within the equine term chorioallantoic membrane. A relatively low number of differentially expressed genes (DEGs) was identified when comparing both horns of the placenta, suggesting a remarkable molecular uniformity. A higher number of DEGs was identified when comparing the horns to the body.