TROPHOBLAST INTERFERONS AND IMMUNOLOGICAL -TOLERANCE OF THE CONCEPTUS- REVIEW

Current evidence support the hypothesis that trophoblast interferons p lay a key role in preventing maternal immunologal rejection of the emb ryonic semi-allograft. The information of this review is divided in tw o sections. In the first section we described molecular and biological characteristics of type I (alpha, beta, omega, tau and spl) and type II (gamma) interferons. In the second section we emphasize studies on immunoendocrine functions of IFN-tau (oTP-1 or trophoblastins) in the network of cytokines and hormonal environment at the uterine embryonic interface.