title: Survival of priceless cells: active and passive protection of embryonic stem cells against immune destruction.
abstract: This review focuses on our current knowledge of the mechanisms employed by embryonic stem (ES) cells to avoid destruction by cell-mediated immune responses. Recently, ES cells have been found to shield themselves against cytotoxic effector cells by expressing CD95L and serine protease inhibitor SPI-6 mediating apoptosis of the cytotoxic cells and inactivation of granzyme B, respectively. These findings are discussed in view of their implications for using ES cell-derived transplants in regenerative medicine as well as for our understanding of early embryonic stages during invasion and implantation.
authors: Institute for Medical Microbiology, Immunology and Hygiene, Medical Center of the University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany. olaf.utermoehlen@uk.koeln.de
authors: Olaf
authors: O
authors: Utermöhlen
authors: Martin
authors: M
authors: Krönke
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000276:immunology*; D051017:Apoptosis Regulatory Proteins / Q000276:immunology*; D002470:Cell Survival / Q000276:immunology; D019610:Cytoprotection / Q000276:immunology*; D053595:Embryonic Stem Cells / Q000166:cytology* / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D018448:Models, Immunological; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: D051017:Apoptosis Regulatory Proteins