The role of placenta Hofbauer cells during pregnancy and pregnancy complications

Placental Hofbauer cells (HBCs) are specialized macrophages present in the human placenta that play a crucial role in maintaining a healthy pregnancy. These cells are derived from the fetal mesoderm and are responsible for various functions, including immune regulation, angiogenesis, and nutrient tr...

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Main Authors: Seung-Woo Yang, Han-Sung Hwang, Young-Sun Kang
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Korean Society of Obstetrics and Gynecology 2025-01-01
Series:Obstetrics & Gynecology Science
Subjects:
Online Access:http://www.ogscience.org/upload/pdf/ogs-24247.pdf
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author Seung-Woo Yang
Han-Sung Hwang
Young-Sun Kang
author_facet Seung-Woo Yang
Han-Sung Hwang
Young-Sun Kang
author_sort Seung-Woo Yang
collection DOAJ
description Placental Hofbauer cells (HBCs) are specialized macrophages present in the human placenta that play a crucial role in maintaining a healthy pregnancy. These cells are derived from the fetal mesoderm and are responsible for various functions, including immune regulation, angiogenesis, and nutrient transport. In normal pregnancies, HBCs primarily exhibit an M2 or immunomodulatory phenotype, which helps maintain a tolerant and antiinflammatory environment at the maternal-fetal interface. However, in pregnancies complicated by conditions such as immunological disorders, inflammation, or infection, the phenotype and function of HBCs may be altered. Although emerging evidence has highlighted the vital role of HBCs in both normal pregnancies and those with complications, such as chorioamnionitis, gestational diabetes, preeclampsia, and viral infections, their role remains unclear. Recent research also suggests a relationship between HBCs and the development of diseases in offspring. Understanding the role of HBCs in pregnancy could provide insights into the pathophysiology of various pregnancy-related disorders and offer potential therapeutic targets for improving maternal and fetal outcomes. This review explores the functions of HBCs in normal pregnancy and their involvement in complications, emphasizing their potential as biomarkers or targets for interventions aimed at reducing the incidence of adverse pregnancy outcomes. Additionally, we reviewed their potential for perinatal research in recent studies.
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spelling doaj-art-c699b9904a3641a69dc1ce8598ff65cd2025-08-20T03:53:47ZengKorean Society of Obstetrics and GynecologyObstetrics & Gynecology Science2287-85802025-01-0168191710.5468/ogs.242478855The role of placenta Hofbauer cells during pregnancy and pregnancy complicationsSeung-Woo Yang0Han-Sung Hwang1Young-Sun Kang2 Research Institute of Medical Science, Konkuk University School of Medicine, Seoul, Korea Division of Maternal and Fetal Medicine, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Research Institute of Medical Science, Konkuk University School of Medicine, Seoul, Korea Konkuk-KIST Biomedical Science & Technology, Konkuk University, Seoul, KoreaPlacental Hofbauer cells (HBCs) are specialized macrophages present in the human placenta that play a crucial role in maintaining a healthy pregnancy. These cells are derived from the fetal mesoderm and are responsible for various functions, including immune regulation, angiogenesis, and nutrient transport. In normal pregnancies, HBCs primarily exhibit an M2 or immunomodulatory phenotype, which helps maintain a tolerant and antiinflammatory environment at the maternal-fetal interface. However, in pregnancies complicated by conditions such as immunological disorders, inflammation, or infection, the phenotype and function of HBCs may be altered. Although emerging evidence has highlighted the vital role of HBCs in both normal pregnancies and those with complications, such as chorioamnionitis, gestational diabetes, preeclampsia, and viral infections, their role remains unclear. Recent research also suggests a relationship between HBCs and the development of diseases in offspring. Understanding the role of HBCs in pregnancy could provide insights into the pathophysiology of various pregnancy-related disorders and offer potential therapeutic targets for improving maternal and fetal outcomes. This review explores the functions of HBCs in normal pregnancy and their involvement in complications, emphasizing their potential as biomarkers or targets for interventions aimed at reducing the incidence of adverse pregnancy outcomes. Additionally, we reviewed their potential for perinatal research in recent studies.http://www.ogscience.org/upload/pdf/ogs-24247.pdfmacrophagesimmune toleranceplacentapregnancy complications
spellingShingle Seung-Woo Yang
Han-Sung Hwang
Young-Sun Kang
The role of placenta Hofbauer cells during pregnancy and pregnancy complications
Obstetrics & Gynecology Science
macrophages
immune tolerance
placenta
pregnancy complications
title The role of placenta Hofbauer cells during pregnancy and pregnancy complications
title_full The role of placenta Hofbauer cells during pregnancy and pregnancy complications
title_fullStr The role of placenta Hofbauer cells during pregnancy and pregnancy complications
title_full_unstemmed The role of placenta Hofbauer cells during pregnancy and pregnancy complications
title_short The role of placenta Hofbauer cells during pregnancy and pregnancy complications
title_sort role of placenta hofbauer cells during pregnancy and pregnancy complications
topic macrophages
immune tolerance
placenta
pregnancy complications
url http://www.ogscience.org/upload/pdf/ogs-24247.pdf
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