Technical and Immunological Aspects of Face Transplantation

Abstract

The interest in facial transplantation led to development of many experimental models and novel immunosuppressive protocols. These studies allowed testing the immunological response to immunosuppressive protocols, and tolerance induction studies with supportive cell based therapies in composite tissues allograft transplants. In this article we present our experience with face transplantation models developed in our laboratory. We also summarize immunological responses and different immunosuppressive protocols used for tolerance induction through donor chimerism.