Guest guest Posted April 27, 2007 Report Share Posted April 27, 2007 In the May issue of Discover magazine, with Saturn on the cover) I found an article of interest. On page 12, in the section called " Data " ......the part titled " We Are All Chimeras. " Chimera, in case you don't know, is a term for someone who has another persons DNA in their system.....as might happen after a bone-marrow transplant, or as occasionally happens when one of a set of twin fetuses dies and is absorbed into the other.....which has to happen when both are little more than blobs of cells. The surviving baby can have one set of DNA in its blood, and another in its sperm, as was depicted on CSI a couple of years ago....... ANYWAY....to get to the point, the article says that sometimes a " small number of maternal cells can persist in a woman's offspring for decades or longer Although researchers have suspected that maternal cells might play a role in provoking immunologic problems, this study found that in individuals with type 1 diabetes, at least, those cells might actually be lending a helping hand. Maternal cells, which cross the placenta during pregnancy, can set up residence anywhere in the fetus, including the bloodstream, heart, liver, and thymus gland. The phenomenon, called microchimerism, is thought to contribute to a number of autoimmune disorders, like lupus and rheumatoid arthritis. The idea is that the cells elicit an immune response that spirals out of control, attacking the child's own tissue. The cells may be more beneficent in type 1 diabetes, a relatively rare autoimmune form of the disease that usually affects children and young adults. (skipping down the piece here) ......they found maternal beta cells, cells that pump out insulin..... (skipping again) Of the beta cells in a diabetic pancreas (autopsied along with three non-diabetic pancreases) almost twice as many were maternal cells, which means Mama's cells may in fact be helping to repair the pancreas. ******Sorry, I have to keep switching glasses...one set to read the article, the other to read the screen........The bottom line was that they think transplanting maternal cells into a diabetic - a type 1 diabetic, I presume - might help repair the pancreas......... What I was most interested in, though, was that Mama's cells might have been a factor in my developing RA. But my sister does not have it.....so maybe she didn't get any? I dunno.....she was always Daddy's princess, anyway..... Something to think about, anyway.... Ardy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted April 27, 2007 Report Share Posted April 27, 2007 LOL......Are we kin in another life My Mom also had RA....I developed it 20 years Younger than she did and 300x's worse ......and my little sister doesn't have RA....I finally talked her into getting tested. I'm Grateful that she does not have it ...and hope she Never does. She's a Daddy's Princess too LOL. Carla....who somehow managed to slam my finger in the sliding glass door (@@)....still don't know HOW...but man does it hurt ..and flaring too.......arghhhhhhhhhhh Interesting article.... Posted by: " Ardeith " ardeith@... goodthistle Thu Apr 26, 2007 7:41 pm (PST) What I was most interested in, though, was that Mama's cells might have beena factor in my developing RA. But my sister does not have it.....so maybeshe didn't get any? I dunno.....she was always Daddy's princess, anyway.....Something to think about, anyway....Ardy-- .-.. .-.. ( o )_( o ) __ / '-' '-' \ __ / / " \ \ | \ \___/ / | \ \`-. ____ .-' / / - ' /\ /\ '-. ( (_// (_ _) \\_) ) frogge ºÜº Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted April 27, 2007 Report Share Posted April 27, 2007 LOL......Are we kin in another life My Mom also had RA....I developed it 20 years Younger than she did and 300x's worse ......and my little sister doesn't have RA....I finally talked her into getting tested. I'm Grateful that she does not have it ...and hope she Never does. She's a Daddy's Princess too Interesting article.... Posted by: " Ardeith " ardeith@... goodthistle Thu Apr 26, 2007 7:41 pm (PST) What I was most interested in, though, was that Mama's cells might have beena factor in my developing RA. But my sister does not have it.....so maybeshe didn't get any? I dunno.....she was always Daddy's princess, anyway.....Something to think about, anyway....Ardy-- .-.. .-.. ( o )_( o ) __ / '-' '-' \ __ / / " \ \ | \ \___/ / | \ \`-. ____ .-' / / - ' /\ /\ '-. ( (_// (_ _) \\_) ) frogge ºÜº Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You are posting as a guest. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.