# HUMAN PLACENTAL AMINO ACID TRANSPORT:  MOLECULAR ASPECTS

> **NIH NIH R01** · AUGUSTA UNIVERSITY · 1993 · $115,474

## Abstract

The placenta is vital to the survival of the fetus because it provides
the growing fetus with nutrition and oxygen and it excretes the fetal
metabolic waste products.  Several classes of nutrients are transferred
from the mother to the fetus across the placenta.  Interference with this
function of the placenta invariably results in growth retardation of the
fetus and reduces its chances of survival.  Therefore, there is a
profound need for information relating to the role of the placenta as a
nutritional organ.  Amino acids represent an important class of nutrients
because they are obligatory as the building blocks for protein synthesis
and as precursors for many biologically active compounds which are vital
to the well-being of the fetus.  Most amino acids are transported across
the placenta by energy-dependent processes.  The energy-requiring step is
primarily located at the brush border membrane of the placenta.  The
proposed studies will therefore be conducted by using brush border
membrane vesicles isolated from human term placentas.  Human placenta is
a disposable tissue and use of this tissue as the experimental tool
offers a unique opportunity to investigate placental function without
safety and ethical concerns.  Moreover, direct use of the human placentas
rather than the placentas from laboratory animals removes the need for
unnecessary, and sometimes even incorrect and misleading, extrapolation
of the results from non-human species to humans.

Virtually nothing is known at present about the molecular mechanisms of
amino acid transfer across the placenta.  This project proposes a series
of investigations designed to look into this aspect.  The specific aims
of the project include delineation of the role of ion gradients other
than a sodium gradient as the energy source for placental amino acid
transport, determination of the chemical nature of the active site of
amino acid transport systems, and purification and characterization of
the proteins which make up these transport systems.  Substances such as
ethanol, cannabinoids and various drugs interfere with placental amino
acid transport and consequently have toxic effects on fetal growth and
development.  A detailed knowledge of the chemical nature of the
placental amino acid transport systems is not only important to
understand the placenta amino acid transfer under physiological
conditions, but also to understand the mechanisms by which the above-
mentioned feto-toxic agents affect the function of these transport
systems.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 2199173
- **Project number:** 5R01HD024451-05
- **Recipient organization:** AUGUSTA UNIVERSITY
- **SAM.gov UEI:** N4WWJC8T2593
- **Principal Investigator:** VADIVEL GANAPATHY
- **Activity code:** R01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 1993
- **Award amount:** $115,474
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 1989-04-01 → 1994-11-30

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/2199173

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 2199173, HUMAN PLACENTAL AMINO ACID TRANSPORT:  MOLECULAR ASPECTS (5R01HD024451-05). Retrieved via MORVS 2026-10-25 from https://api.morvs.ai/grant/nih/2199173. Licensed CC0.

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