In conclusion, we present a genome-wide transcriptomic view
of placental tissue and have identified novel genes highly expressed
in term placenta that may be involved in both normal and pathogenic
placental physiology. These findings may provide a starting
point for future explorations of the potential roles for QSOX1, DLG5,
SEMA7A, and other novel genes in placental development and
disease. Additionally, taking advantage of the quantitative power of
RNA-seq, we were able to identify the most abundant developmentally
regulated gene family members within each sample, a
comparison that is not possible with other gene expression
methods. Overall, these findings provide a new reference for understanding
of placental transcriptome and can aid in the identification
of novel pathways regulating placenta physiology that may
be dysregulated in placental disease.