Magnificent. The placenta uses a protein named syncytin [1] to attach to the cells of the uterus. This protein is expressed by a retrovirus that was integrated into animal DNA over 100 million years ago.
This reminds me of Lynn Margulis’ discovery that mitochondria and chloroplasts are ancient bacteria incorporated into the cell [2].
This reminds me of Lynn Margulis’ discovery that mitochondria and chloroplasts are ancient bacteria incorporated into the cell [2].
[1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Syncytin-1
[2] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lynn_Margulis#Endosymbiosis_th...