Stem Cell Histocompatibility

Histocompatibility is the matching of tissues that, alongside immunogenetics, determines whether a transplant is tolerated or rejected by the host’s immune system. To establish histocompatibility, a physician must check both the donor and recipient for identical or somewhat similar alleles in a cluster of genes, the most important of which is the major histocompatibility complex (MHC) on chromosome 6, expressed as antigens, known as human leukocyte antigens (HLA). HLA are cell surface proteins expressed on surfaces of most of the cells in our body, especially white blood cells. The technique of matching donor cells to recipient cells is HLA typing, or tissue typing. HLA matching is one of the most important factors in determining stem cell transplant outcome. If the immune system detects mismatched HLA ...