Placental immunoregulatory factors.
Local immune suppression appears to be a key feature in the success of the fetal allograft. Various placental factors have been described endowed with immunoregulatory activity. Much of the available evidence concerning the biological function and biochemical characteristics of these molecules is reviewed here, as well as the controversial issues surrounding them. In the final section, some outstanding questions relating to these immunoregulators are considered.
D000818:Animals; D000917:Antibody Formation; D006224:Cricetinae; D003602:Cytotoxicity, Immunologic; D003656:Decidua / Q000276:immunology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007108:Immune Tolerance; D010920:Placenta / Q000276:immunology*; D011247:Pregnancy; D013491:Suppressor Factors, Immunologic / Q000502:physiology*; D050378:T-Lymphocytes, Regulatory / Q000276:immunology; D013724:Teratoma / Q000276:immunology; D014327:Trophoblasts / Q000276:immunology
D013491:Suppressor Factors, Immunologic