Phagocytic index of neutrophil granulocytes and monocytes in healthy and preeclamptic pregnancy

For an ongoing healthy pregnancy it is essential that the maternal immune system tolerates the ‘hemiallograft’ fetus (half of its genetic material is of paternal origin) and at the same time, protect the mother against infections. This seemingly contradictory behavior of the immune system has been intensively studied. Failure of the adaptation of the maternal immune system may lead to pathological pregnancies such as preeclampsia. It is known that in healthy pregnancy the level of biomarkers of systemic inflammation is increased compared with non-pregnant status, and this elevation is more pronounced in pathological pregnancies (Sacks et al., 1998; Calleja-Agius et al., 2012).
Source: Journal of Reproductive Immunology - Category: Allergy & Immunology Authors: Source Type: research