6 upvotes, 1 direct replies (showing 1)
View submission: Ask Anything Wednesday - Biology, Chemistry, Neuroscience, Medicine, Psychology
The placental cells do not express the typical MHC I types HLA-A and HLA-B, but instead express HLA-E and HLA-G. The absence of HLA-A and HLA-B helps prevent recognition as non-self and attack by cytotoxic T cells, while the expression of HLA-E and HLA-G helps show self and avoid attack by natural killer cells.
But that's just one aspect. The physical barrier is another important part. The placenta also secretes immunosuppressant molecules, and so on. It's a complicated topic.
It also sometimes fails, leading to things like pre-eclampsia or rhesus disease.
Comment by DreamEndlessOneiros at 13/03/2025 at 06:45 UTC
1 upvotes, 0 direct replies
Thank you for that. So assuming the mother is infected by a Virus that’s capable of immune escape mechanism, is it correct to assume that the Fetus won‘t be very well protected by the mother‘s immune System?
And in regard to this: what do we know about COVID during pregnancy, escpecially regardig post-natal development of the baby?