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Updated: Jul 13, 2026

Isolation of Leukocytes from the Murine Tissues at the Maternal-Fetal Interface
Published on: May 21, 2015
The role of macrophage migration inhibitory factor in maintaining the immune privilege at the fetal-maternal
Paola Viganò1, Marcella Cintorino, Frederick Schatz
1II Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Milan and Istituto Auxologico Italiano, 20100 Milan, Italy.
Abstract:
Macrophage migration inhibitory factor (MIF) is a pivotal regulator of the innate and adaptive immunity affecting the response and behavior of macrophages and lymphocytes. MIF is also implicated in other fundamental cellular processes including angiogenesis and cell proliferation. Several studies examined the expression of MIF in reproductive organs and tissues and its involvement in different aspects of human and animal reproduction. The goal of this review was to summarize these findings and discuss, in particular, the role of MIF in the maintenance of the immune privilege at the human fetal-maternal interface.
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