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Isolation of Leukocytes from the Murine Tissues at the Maternal-Fetal Interface
Published on: May 21, 2015
Does Altered Cellular Metabolism Underpin the Normal Changes to the Maternal Immune System during Pregnancy?
Benjamin J Jenkins1, April Rees1, Nicholas Jones1
1Institute of Life Science, Swansea University Medical School, Swansea, Wales SA2 8PP, UK.
None:
Pregnancy is characterised by metabolic changes that occur to support the growth and development of the fetus over the course of gestation. These metabolic changes can be classified into two distinct phases: an initial anabolic phase to prepare an adequate store of substrates and energy which are then broken down and used during a catabolic phase to meet the energetic demands of the mother, placenta and fetus. Dynamic readjustment of immune homeostasis is also a feature of pregnancy and is likely linked to the changes in energy substrate utilisation at this time. As cellular metabolism is increasingly recognised as a key determinant of immune cell phenotype and function, we consider how changes in maternal metabolism might contribute to T cell plasticity during pregnancy.
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