Fetal-maternal interface: A chronicle of allogeneic coexistence

The existence of allogeneic cells within an individual has been demonstrated in multiple fields such as hematopoietic stem cell or solid organ transplantation, non-depleted blood transfusions and the most common form which is bidirectional maternal-fetal cell trafficking, whereby cells from the fetus pass through the placental barrier. In order to graphically illustrate this early natural phenomenon that initiates the journey of a child's cells within the mother's blood and other tissues, we used a new procedure in microscopy imaging generating Large Scale Panoramic Pictures (LSPP). This technique can also be extended to explore a broad diversity of experimental models. © 2012 Landes Bioscience.