The rapid growth and development of the fetus depends on a sufficient supply of fatty acids across the placenta. A mathematical model of this process will help to understand the underlying mechanisms.
Fatty acids, such as Omega-3, are critical for normal fetal development. Yet, fatty acids can only be provided by the mother via the placenta, and how this transfer process works exactly is not fully known. Thus, in order to understand how these essential nutrients are delivered from the maternal to the fetal circulation a computational model of the fatty acid transport system is needed to evaluate the key features of transport in a quantitative manner.