title: The role of macrophage migration inhibitory factor in maintaining the immune privilege at the fetal-maternal interface.
abstract: Macrophage migration inhibitory factor (MIF) is a pivotal regulator of the innate and adaptive immunity affecting the response and behavior of macrophages and lymphocytes. MIF is also implicated in other fundamental cellular processes including angiogenesis and cell proliferation. Several studies examined the expression of MIF in reproductive organs and tissues and its involvement in different aspects of human and animal reproduction. The goal of this review was to summarize these findings and discuss, in particular, the role of MIF in the maintenance of the immune privilege at the human fetal-maternal interface.
authors.affiliation: II Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Milan and Istituto Auxologico Italiano, 20100 Milan, Italy.
authors.forename: Paola
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Viganò
authors.forename: Marcella
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Cintorino
authors.forename: Frederick
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Schatz
authors.forename: Charles J
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: Lockwood
authors.forename: Felice
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Arcuri
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007108:Immune Tolerance; D008222:Lymphokines / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D008263:Macrophage Migration-Inhibitory Factors / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology / Q000502:physiology*; D008264:Macrophages / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism; D008431:Maternal-Fetal Exchange / Q000276:immunology*; D011247:Pregnancy / Q000276:immunology*; D011248:Pregnancy Complications / Q000276:immunology; D015398:Signal Transduction; D014599:Uterus / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D008222:Lymphokines; D008263:Macrophage Migration-Inhibitory Factors