%0 Journal Article
%T Placental sulphate transport: a review of functional and molecular studies.
%A Shennan DB
%J Placenta
%V 33
%N 8
%D Aug 2012
%M 22578714
%F 3.287
%R 10.1016/j.placenta.2012.04.008
%X Sulphate is required by the feto-placental unit for a number of important conjugation and biosynthetic pathways. Functional studies performed several decades ago established that sulphate transport in human placental microvillus and basal membrane vesicles was mainly via a DIDS-sensitive anion-exchange mechanism. In contrast, no evidence was found for Na⁺-dependent transport. Studies performed using isolated human placental tissue confirmed anion-exchange as the main mechanism. More recently, molecular studies have established the presence of anion-exchange proteins which could play a role in transplacental sulphate movement. However, the presence of transcripts for NaS2 has been reported and has prompted the suggestion that Na⁺-sulphate cotransport may play an important role in maternal-fetal sulphate transport. This article reviews our present knowledge of placental sulphate transport, both functional and molecular, and attempts to form a model based on the available evidence.