Multi-lineage potential of fetal cells in maternal tissue: a legacy in reverse

Abstract

Fetal cells circulate in pregnant women and persist in blood and tissue for decades post-partum. The mother thus becomes chimeric. Factors that may influence such fetal cell microchimerism include histocompatibility, fetal or placental abnormalities, or a reproductive history that includes miscarriage or elective termination. Fetal cell microchimerism is associated with some maternal autoimmune diseases, such as systemic sclerosis. Moreover, a novel population of fetal cells, the pregnancy-associated progenitor cells (PAPCs), appears to differentiate in diseased or injured maternal tissue. The cellular origin of these cells is at present unknown but could be a hematopoietic stem cell, a mesenchymal stem cell, or a novel cell type. Pregnancy therefore results in the acquisition of cells with stem-cell-like properties that may influence maternal health post-partum. Rather than triggering disease, these cells may instead combat it.

BM-derived cells randomly contribute to neoplastic and non-neoplastic epithelial tissues at low rates

“…This phenomenon has been called fetal cell microchimerism. 16 Recently, it has been hypothesized that pregnancy-associated progenitor cells persist in a maternal stem cell niche and, in the case of tissue injury, home to the damaged organ and differentiate as part of the maternal response. In our study, a fetal source in BMT patients is, however, unlikely, as they did not report any pregnancy and in the control female group no Y chromosome was detected.…”

A balancing act: mechanisms by which the fetus avoids rejection by the maternal immune system

“…Fetal cells can persist in maternal blood and tissue, and in some studies, association of fetal cells with autoimmune disease have been reported, perhaps indicating a pathological tolerance in the maternal immune system (Lambert et al 2002). However, recent data suggest that fetal cells may infiltrate injured maternal tissue as a repair mechanism (Khosrotehrani & Bianchi 2005, Sunami et al 2010.…”

Comparison of different blood sample processing methods for sensitive detection of low level chimerism byRHDreal-time PCR assay

“…Fetal cells have been documented to persist in the maternal blood and tissue for several decades postpartum, known as fetal microchimerism. [1][2][3] This fetal microchimerism has been suggested to participate in disease development as well as in tissue repair. 4 The rhesus D blood group, which is expressed on the red blood cells (RBC) of 85% of the Caucasian population, is one of the most immunogenic RBC antigens, inducing D antibody formation in up to 20-80% of D-negative transfusion recipients and about 10% of pregnancies at risk.…”