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The hemochorial placenta is a type of placenta found in some mammals, including humans, monkeys, and apes. In this type of placenta, the chorionic villi, which are fingerlike projections from the developing fetus, are bathed directly in maternal blood. This intimate contact allows for efficient exchange of nutrients, oxygen, and waste products between the mother and the fetus. Unlike other types of placentas where multiple layers of tissue separate maternal and fetal blood, the hemochorial placenta has no cellular layers between them, facilitating a more direct physiological exchange. This close association is a key characteristic of placental mammals (Eutheria) and is believed to have contributed to their evolutionary success.123

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