Primary cilia in placental mesenchymal stem/stromal cells: Implication in placental development and preeclampsia

Introduction and aims of the study: The development of the human placenta is tightly coordinated by a multitude of placental cell types, including placental mesenchymal stem/stromal cells (pMSCs). Defective pMSCs have been reported in preeclampsia (PE), a gestational hypertensive disease, characterized by maternal endothelial dysfunction and systemic inflammation. We were interested if pMSCs are ciliated and if altered ciliation is responsible for defective pMSCs in preeclamptic placentas, as the primary cilium is a hub for signal transduction, important for various cellular activities.