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- Title
Fetal regulatory T cells and peripheral immune tolerance in utero: implications for development and disease.
- Authors
Burt, Trevor D
- Abstract
The developing fetus must actively learn to tolerate benign antigens or suffer the consequences of broken tolerance. Tolerance of self-antigens prevents development of autoimmune diseases and is achieved by both deletion of autoreactive T cell clones in the thymus (central tolerance) and by the suppressive influence of CD4(+) CD25(+) FoxP3(+) regulatory T cells (Tregs) in the periphery. Fetal CD4(+) T cells have a strong predisposition to differentiate into tolerogenic Tregs that actively promote self-tolerance, as well as tolerance to non-inherited antigens on chimeric maternal cells that reside in fetal tissues. As the fetus nears birth, a crucial transition must occur between the tolerogenic fetal immune system and a more defensive adult-type immune system that is able to combat pathogens. This paper will review the unique tolerogenic nature of fetal T cells and will examine evidence for a novel model of fetal immune development: the layered immune system hypothesis.
- Publication
American journal of reproductive immunology (New York, N.Y. : 1989), 2013, Vol 69, Issue 4, p346
- ISSN
1600-0897
- Publication type
Journal Article
- DOI
10.1111/aji.12083