Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Experiment Videos

Microchimerism and scleroderma.

J L Nelson1

  • 1Program in Human Immunogenetics, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, and Rheumatology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA.

Current Rheumatology Reports
|December 21, 2000
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Related Concept Videos

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

Umbilical Cord Maternal Microchimerism in Normal and Preeclampsia Pregnancies.

Reproductive sciences (Thousand Oaks, Calif.)·2022
Same author

Fetal microchimerism by mode of delivery: a prospective cohort study.

BJOG : an international journal of obstetrics and gynaecology·2018
Same author

Effect of oral nutritional supplementation on wound healing in diabetic foot ulcers: a prospective randomized controlled trial.

Diabetic medicine : a journal of the British Diabetic Association·2014
Same author

Dermatological compounds from the Caribbean.

International journal of pharmaceutical compounding·2013
Same author

Prospective assessment of fetal-maternal cell transfer in miscarriage and pregnancy termination.

Human reproduction (Oxford, England)·2012
Same author

Dynamic changes in fetal microchimerism in maternal peripheral blood mononuclear cells, CD4+ and CD8+ cells in normal pregnancy.

Placenta·2010
Same journal

Intensive Care Management of ANCA-associated Vasculitides: a Narrative Review.

Current rheumatology reports·2026
Same journal

The Role of Musculoskeletal Ultrasound in Psoriatic Arthritis: From Preclinical Detection to Treatment Monitoring.

Current rheumatology reports·2026
Same journal

Correction to: Is Gout and Autoinflammatory Disease?

Current rheumatology reports·2026
Same journal

Risks and Management of Glucocorticoid Therapy for Patients with Rheumatic Disease Having Surgery.

Current rheumatology reports·2026
Same journal

Perioperative Management Considerations for Patients with Systemic Lupus Erythematosus.

Current rheumatology reports·2026
Same journal

Management of IgG4-Related Disease.

Current rheumatology reports·2026
See all related articles

Fetal cells persist in mothers for decades, raising the hypothesis that microchimerism may contribute to autoimmune diseases like scleroderma (SSc). Further research is needed to confirm this link and explore potential therapies.

Area of Science:

  • Immunology
  • Genetics
  • Obstetrics

Background:

  • Cellular trafficking between fetus and mother occurs during pregnancy.
  • Fetal cells can persist in maternal circulation for years post-childbirth.
  • Chimerism, seen in graft-versus-host disease, shares similarities with autoimmune conditions like scleroderma (SSc).

Purpose of the Study:

  • To explore the hypothesis that microchimerism is involved in the pathogenesis of autoimmune diseases, specifically scleroderma (SSc).
  • To investigate the potential role of fetal cell persistence in maternal autoimmune disorders.

Main Methods:

  • Review of existing literature on cell trafficking, chimerism, and autoimmune diseases.
  • Analysis of initial studies examining microchimerism in women with SSc.

Related Experiment Videos

  • Consideration of data from transplantation biology and other sources of chimerism.

    • Main Results:

    • Initial studies suggest a potential link between microchimerism and SSc in women.
    • Microchimerism is also prevalent in healthy individuals, indicating complexity.
    • Data is currently insufficient to definitively establish microchimerism's role in SSc pathogenesis.

    Conclusions:

    • While microchimerism is a plausible factor in SSc and other autoimmune disorders, conclusive evidence is lacking.
    • The mechanisms by which microchimerism might influence SSc are unknown.
    • Further research may lead to novel therapeutic strategies for autoimmune diseases if microchimerism is confirmed as a contributing factor.