EFFECTS OF PLACENTAL TISSUE ON IMMUNOLOGICAL RESPONSES

  • 1 January 1978
    • journal article
    • research article
    • Vol. 34  (3) , 441-448
Abstract
Using in vivo assays for alloreactivity, the responsiveness of maternal lymph node cells increased when cells were harvested from syngeneically and allogeneically pregnant mice. Fetal liver and thymus cells induced a state of delayed type hypersensitivity to alloantigens whereas trophoblastic tissue, in the form of 12-15 day metrial glands, did not. The influence of mouse placenta on in vitro immune responses was tested using 7-day ectoplacental cones as sources of trophoblastic tissue. Ectoplacental cones increased a T [thymus-derived] cell-dependent but not a T cell-independent antibody response, whereas T cell dependent cytotoxicity was reduced. Murine ectoplacental cones may be a particularly useful tissue with which to study specific and non-specific immunological activities of the trophoblast in syngeneic and allogeneic pregnancies.