Cellular Mechanisms in Pregnancy and Foetal Development
A special issue of Cells (ISSN 2073-4409).
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 March 2026 | Viewed by 18
Special Issue Editors
Interests: metabolism; cell culture; metabolic flux; glycolysis; placenta; ace2; organoid; RNA
Interests: deficit hyperactivity disorder; neural crest; developmental biology; dlx genes; evolution; craniofacial develipment; neuronal differentiation; behavior; homeobox genes; reproduction
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
Pregnancy is a finely orchestrated process involving complex cellular and molecular interactions among the mother, the placenta, and the developing foetus. Disruption to these processes can lead to pregnancy complications with lifelong consequences for maternal and child health. A deeper understanding of the cellular mechanisms that underlie fertilisation, implantation, placental development, foetal growth, and maternal adaptation is therefore essential in improving pregnancy outcomes worldwide.
Despite remarkable advances in clinical care and technology, our knowledge of the fundamental biology of pregnancy remains incomplete. For example, even the basic mechanisms of placental ageing are only just beginning to be unravelled, yet these processes are increasingly recognised as critical drivers of complications such as foetal growth restriction and stillbirth. This gap between mechanistic understanding and clinical application limits our ability to achieve real-world advances in healthcare, underscoring the urgency of further discovery research.
This Special Issue will explore fundamental and translational advances in this field. Topics of interest include cellular pathways regulating trophoblast and placental development; foetal and maternal cell signalling; immune interactions at the maternal–foetal interface; mechanisms of placental ageing and dysfunction; the epigenetic and transcriptional regulation of foetal growth; the metabolic and endocrine control of pregnancy; mechanisms involved in fertility and implantation; and innovative in vitro and in vivo models to investigate cellular dynamics. We particularly encourage contributions addressing how these mechanisms intersect with pregnancy complications.
Dr. Anya L. Arthurs
Dr. Giovanni Levi
Guest Editors
Manuscript Submission Information
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Keywords
- pregnancy
- fetus
- reproduction
- placenta
- maternal
- fertility
- preeclampsia
- fetal growth restriction
- gestational diabetes
- stillbirth
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