derivation and differentiation of rabbit trophoblast stem cells

The placenta controls exchanges between the mother and the fetus and therefore fetal development and growth. The maternal environment can lead to disturbance of placental functions, with consequences on the health of the offspring. Here we developed a new cell culture model using rabbit trophoblast cells differentiated from rabbit trophoblast stem cells. In this culture model, the cells are grown in the presence of a flow of culture medium, that promotes formation of microvilli on the cell surface, fusion of cytotrophoblasts into syncytiotrophoblasts and formation of lipid droplets. Thereby, the culture model allows mimicking the in vivo conditions in which maternal blood flow exerts a shear stress on trophoblastic cells which influences their phenotype. In addition, the transcriptome of the derived trophoblastic stem cells was characterized, as well as that of the differentiated cells in the culture model.