Effects of Maternal Preimmunization on the Decidual Cell Reaction in Mice

Abstract

ALTHOUGH several hypotheses have been put forward to explain the success of the mammalian conceptus as a homograft¹, there is still no agreement on the exact mechanisms involved. It has been postulated that during the early stages of pregnancy the uterine decidual tissue prevents the immunological consequences of antigenic differences between mother and conceptus². Recent evidence has suggested that the extent of the decidual cell reaction is reduced when there are genetic differences between mother and offspring³. We have therefore investigated whether the decidual cell reaction is affected by preimmunization of the mother to paternal antigens.