It is the aim of my research to investigate the effects of short- and long-term maternal ethanol consumption on the immune system of infants, specifically studying its effects on the intrahepatic proliferation and differentiation of hematopoietic progenitors. I hypothesize that ethanol consumption affects the proliferation and differentiation of these cells, thus decreasing the ability of the progenitor cells to seed the immune system. Various entities will be investigated such as: (1) distinct microenvironmentaI elements (mitogens and cytokines); (2) apoptosis and proliferation; (3) absolute and relative counts of lymphocytic progenitors, macrophages, and other non-lymphoid cells in the liver; and (4) phenotypic profiles using Mabs to lineage-specific surface markers.
| Robinson, Regina S; Seelig Jr, Leonard L (2002) Effects of maternal ethanol consumption on hematopoietic cells in the rat fetal liver. Alcohol 28:151-6 |
