The objective of this study was to compare the expression of Folate Receptor-α (FR-α), Reduced Folate Carrier (RFC), and Proton Coupled Folate Transporter (PCFT) in placentas from pregnancies complicated with birth defects (BD) and controls.
Suppression of Folr1 expression in the nascent cardiac NC by site-directed short-interfering RNA (siRNA) altered cardiac NC cell mitosis and subsequent migration patterns leading to abnormal development of the pharyngeal arch arteries (PAA) and outflow tract. qPCR analysis demonstrated that the siRNA treatment significantly reduced Folr1 24 hr after treatment.