File:Pathogenesis-of-Hepatitis-C-During-Pregnancy-and-Childhood-viruses-04-03531-g001.jpg

English: Potential pathways of hepatitis C virus (HCV) transmission to the foetus at the uterine-placental interface. The structural units of the placenta are the chorionic villi that float in maternal blood (intervillous space). Villi are composed of a stromal core with blood vessels, surrounded by cytotrophoblast progenitor cells. As a part of their differentiation program, extravillous cytotrophoblasts join a column at the tips of the anchoring villi and invade the uterine wall. Syncytiotrophoblasts that cover floating villi mediate exchanges of substances and passive transfer of IgG from maternal blood to the foetus. HCV transmission to the foetus could occur through viral transcytosis across trophoblast cells, could be mediated by HCV receptors expressed at the surface of placental cells, or could result from direct or indirect injury that compromise the integrity of the placental barrier.