Fetal stem-cell transplantation.
Fetal stem-cell transplantation is an attractive approach to the treatment of a variety of hematological, metabolic and immunological diseases before birth. The possibility of delivering a large number of cells in an early stage of life, and of taking advantage of normal fetal stem-cell migration and development, is promising. During fetal life, the capacity to mount an immune response to allogeneic cells is impaired compared with adult life. This provides an opportunity to induce tolerance to alloantigens without the need for myeloablation, although there are possible immune barriers to foreign cells in the fetus.
Tiblad
Eleonor
E
Center for Fetal Medicine, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden.
Westgren
Magnus
M
D000818:Animals; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D005315:Fetal Diseases / Q000276:immunology / Q000628:therapy*; D053686:Fetal Stem Cells / Q000637:transplantation*; D005333:Fetus / Q000276:immunology; D018380:Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D007107:Immune System / Q000196:embryology; D051379:Mice; D012756:Sheep