Parthenogenetic stem cells may provide an attractive new source in regenerative medicine. As their major histocompability complex (MHC) ist haploidentical, PSC-banks may offer ready access to MHC-matched allogeneic stem cells. In this doctoral thesis their immunological properties were examined. PSC were largely resistant to CTLs derived from T-cell-receptor transgenic OT-I mice. However, it was shown that as undifferentiated PSC lack MHC-class-I-molecules and present various activating ligands on their surface, they are readily recognized and killed by NK-cell mediated effector mechanisms. Once further differentiated, PSC grew more resistant as a decrease in activating ligands, e.g. Rae-1, CD 112 and CD155, was observed. This might prove beneficial in a transplantational setting as residues of potentially tumorigenic undifferentiated cells could be eliminated by the host's immune response.
Keywords: parthenogenetic stem cells; natural killer cells; cytotoxic T lymphocytes; NK cell receptor ligands
