2-3-09

In this article by Amanda Schaffer she addresses a new finding in the medical world. They have found that mother's cells transfer to their fetuses, specifically affecting the immune system in the fetus. "The mother's cells slip across the placenta, enter the fetus's body and teach it to treat these cells as its own." The mothers cells are helping the fetuses cells learn so that they understand how to distinguish between outside threats and itself. They have found high levels of T-cells in the lymph nodes of fetuses suggesting that they turn off the immune system so it does not attack the fetus as if it is a foreign invader. Researchers believe this explains why when a mother is a donor to her child the body rarely rejects it, so this could be very helpful in transplants. As of now when a patient receives a transplant they have to take drugs to suppress their immune systems, but if they could utilize this new information of natural maternal suppressants patients may no longer have to become dependent on drugs. This also sheds light on the transmission of infectious diseases to infants; the suppressants could be the reason that there are not very high incidences of infection transmission. This new discovery raises many interesting questions and possibilities.

Although, it is sad that they made this discovery by studying aborted fetuses, it rises so many new possibilities for the future. Who knows, as they learn more and more about the transmission of cells, they may be able to prevent infections for newborns, and maybe even use the information to cure some diseases. I'm not to sure what is actually defined as stem cell research, but I believe this borders on it, and it is an issue I'm not sure where i stand on, but the benefits are clear and it is great to see that a negative can be such a positive.