MICROCHIMERISM, A DILEMMA IN CURRENT MEDICINE

Abstract

Microchimerism refers to presence of a small number of cells or DNA of one individual harbored in another individual. Many studies indicate that cell trafficking occurs between the fetus and mother during pregnancy and between others after organ transplantation or blood transfusions. These cells or DNA can persist in recipient?s blood or tissues for decades, creating a state of physiologic microchimerism. In several recent studies, microchimerism has been shown to have potential roles in pathogenesis of different diseases. However, due to the fact that microchimerism has also been found in healthy individuals and in organs affected by non-autoimmune conditions, an alternative hypothesis has been suggested in which microchimeric cells are associated with the healing process of a tissue injury as opposed to causing disease. As a conclusion of this review of recent studies, we can say that microchimerism studies yielded more questions than answers.