The alien within: Fetal cells influence maternal health during pregnancy (and long after)

[ismnotwasm]

Parents go to great lengths to ensure the health and well-being of their developing offspring. The favor, however, may not always be returned.

Dramatic research has shown that during pregnancy, cells of the fetus often migrate through the placenta, taking up residence in many areas of the mother's body, where their influence may benefit or undermine maternal health.

The presence of fetal cells in maternal tissue is known as fetal microchimerism. The term alludes to the chimeras of ancient Greek myth--composite creatures built from different animal parts, like the goat-lion-serpent depicted in an Etruscan bronze sculpture.

According to Amy Boddy, a researcher at Arizona State University's Department of Psychology and lead author of a new study, chimeras exist. Indeed, many humans bear chimerical traits in the form of foreign cells from parents, siblings or offspring, acquired during pregnancy.

"Fetal cells can act as stem cells and develop into epithelial cells, specialized heart cells, liver cells and so forth. This shows that they are very dynamic and play a huge role in the maternal body. They can even migrate to the brain and differentiate into neurons," Boddy says "We are all chimeras."

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2015/08/150828091354.htm

[CTyankee]

1. Wow, Interesting read. I thought it was my kids who drove me crazy...

[ismnotwasm]

2. Heh!

I've known about fetal Chimera cells for some time, but not about the effects on health. Thought this pretty interesting.

[brer cat]

3. Fascinating.

"Evolutionary theory suggests that fetal cells will act cooperatively to enhance maternal health where the economic cost of doing so is low, for example, in tissue maintenance. Where the cost to fetal cells is high, including the division of limited resources between fetus and mother, competition is the more likely outcome, with escalating conflict leading to harmful effects for mother, developing fetus or both."

Even a bit freaky: "Even early onset menopause could be the result of fetal cell efforts to remove the mother from further child-bearing, in order to secure maximum resources for the fetus and eventually, the growing child."

Well worth clicking through for the entire article.

Thanks, ism.