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 systemic sclerosis.

Sergio A Jimenez1, Carol M Artlett

  • 1Thomas Jefferson University, Department of Medicine, Division of Rheumatology, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19107, USA. Sergio.Jimenez@Jefferson.edu

Current Opinion in Rheumatology
|December 18, 2004
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

High mobility group motif proteins' role in fibrosis, inflammation, and vascular injury in systemic sclerosis.

Journal of molecular medicine (Berlin, Germany)·2026
Same author

Chromosomal Instability and Telomere Attrition in Systemic Sclerosis: A Historical Perspective.

Genes·2025
Same author

Role of Growth Factors in the Pathogenesis of Systemic-Sclerosis-Associated Fibrosis.

International journal of molecular sciences·2025
Same author

Identification of serum exosome proteins in systemic sclerosis with interstitial lung disease by aptamer proteomics.

Arthritis research & therapy·2025
Same author

A review of recent studies on the pathogenesis of Systemic Sclerosis: focus on fibrosis pathways.

Frontiers in immunology·2025
Same author

Genome-wide mutagenesis reported in systemic sclerosis.

Nature reviews. Rheumatology·2025

Microchimeric cells, remnants from pregnancy, are found in systemic sclerosis patients. Their role in disease pathogenesis remains unclear, with potential beneficial effects suggested.

Area of Science:

  • Immunology
  • Pathogenesis Research
  • Cell Biology

Background:

  • Microchimeric cells are cells shared between mother and fetus.
  • Their presence in systemic sclerosis (SSc) tissues was first reported six years ago.
  • The mechanism by which microchimeric cells contribute to SSc pathogenesis is unknown.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review the literature on the potential role of microchimeric cells in systemic sclerosis pathogenesis.
  • To explore the significance of microchimeric cell presence in SSc.

Main Methods:

  • Literature review of published studies.
  • Analysis of research on microchimeric cell identification and quantification.
  • Examination of functional studies of microchimeric cells.

Related Experiment Videos

Main Results:

  • Microchimeric cells are identified in SSc patients' blood and tissues.
  • These cells are present even in early, clinically uninvolved SSc tissues.
  • Microchimeric cells are also found in non-autoimmune conditions and healthy individuals.

Conclusions:

  • The role of microchimeric cells in SSc pathology is uncertain.
  • They may be benign remnants of past pregnancies.
  • Potential beneficial effects for the host have been proposed.