Marilen Benner

CHAPTER 9 246 The role of the immune system in establishing the placental connection Endometrium Maternal Fetal Uterine cavity Trophoblast cells Immune cells Successful trophoblast invasion depends on the correct interaction with maternal immune cells. I n a m m a t i o n T o l e r a n c e 1 2 3 How is the right balance between tolerance and inflammation maintained at the fetal- maternal interface ? 1. Trophoblasts possess mechanisms to facilitate immune evasion. 2. Cells of the uterine tissue influence the local immune environment. 3. External factors, such as bacteria contribute to a tolerance-favoring milieu. In this thesis, we explore the interaction of 1&2 and 2&3 to better understand the regulation of uterine immunity.