Identification of Optimal Conditions for Human Placental Explant Culture and Extracellular Vesicle Release

Extracellular vesicles (EVs) can mediate intercellular communication, including signaling between the placenta and maternal tissues. Human placental explant culture is a versatile in vitro model system to investigate function. We performed systematic studies identify defined serum-free medium that supports high trophoblast viability metabolism, as well release of similar populations EVs, compared traditional undefined conditions contain media additives potentially contaminated with exogenous EVs. also determined timeframe which functionality remained optimal. Multiplexed vesicle flow cytometry classical EV placenta-specific markers revealed three separate populations, small CD63+ large PLAP+ CD63-/PLAP- The population was higher first trimester third explants. These analytical approaches will enable modeling short-term effects environmental perturbations associated pregnancy complications on function secretion.