Question

1. Villous trophoblast gives rise to the chorionic villi, which primarily transport oxygen, nutrients, and other compounds between the fetus and mother. What is the function of villous trophoblast?

1) Transporting oxygen and nutrients between the fetus and mother
2) Migrating into the decidua and myometrium
3) Penetrating maternal vasculature
4) Contacting various maternal cell types

Answer 1

The function of villous trophoblast is to transport oxygen, nutrients, and other compounds between the fetus and the mother.

Step-by-step explanation:

The function of villous trophoblast is to transport oxygen, nutrients, and other compounds between the fetus and the mother. The chorionic villi, which are finger-like structures formed by the chorion, burrow into the endometrium like roots, making up the fetal portion of the placenta. Maternal blood surrounding the villi delivers nutrients and oxygen through the capillaries into the fetal bloodstream, while fetal waste products are filtered out and returned to the mother's blood. This exchange occurs through simple diffusion for lipid-soluble substances, facilitated diffusion for water-soluble glucose, and active transport for amino acids and iron.