title: The application of scid mouse technology to questions in reproductive biology.
abstract: Mice expressing the scid gene have been used to study major questions in the field of reproductive immunology. Transfer of Mus caroli embryos to the uteri of pseudopregnant scid/scid mice disproved the hypothesis that antigen-specific immune rejection of fetuses was occurring in this model of midgestational pregnancy failure. The results of breeding studies of mice having the scid/scid.bg/bg genotype suggested that uterine lymphocytes have little or no role in promoting embryonic survival under pathogen-free conditions. Further, the results of in vitro studies using uterine lymphocytes from these immunodeficient mice suggested that the cytokines important for pregnancy success were not lymphocyte-derived. Xenogeneic engraftment of embryonic and uterine tissues into scid/scid and scid/scid.bg/bg mice is also successful and has the potential for facilitating studies of the fetomaternal interface in domestic animal species, such as cows and horses, as well as in humans.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biomedical Sciences, Ontario Veterinary College, University of Guelph, Ontario, Canada.
authors.forename: B A
authors.initials: BA
authors.lastname: Croy
mesh_terms: D000034:Abortion, Veterinary / Q000276:immunology*; D000818:Animals; D002417:Cattle; D004624:Embryo Transfer / Q000662:veterinary; D005260:Female; D005313:Fetal Death / Q000276:immunology*; D006736:Horses; D008214:Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology; D051379:Mice; D016513:Mice, SCID; D011247:Pregnancy; D011270:Pregnancy, Animal / Q000276:immunology*; D012098:Reproduction / Q000276:immunology*; D014599:Uterus / Q000276:immunology