Exposure of the embryo or fetus to perturbations in utero can result in intrauterine growth
restriction, a primary risk factor for the development of adult disease. However, despite
similar exposures, males and females often have altered disease susceptibility or
progression from different stages of life. Fetal growth is largely mediated by the placenta,
which, like the fetus is genetically XX or XY. The placenta and its associated trophoblast
lineages originate from the trophectoderm (TE) of the early embryo. Rodent models (rat …