Recent studies indicate cells transfer between fetus and mother during pregnancy and can
persist in both decades later. The presence within one individual of a small population of
cells from another genetically distinct individual is referred to as microchimerism. Naturally
acquired microchimerism has recently been investigated in autoimmune diseases, including
scleroderma, thyroiditis, primary biliary cirrhosis, Sjögren syndrome, systemic lupus,
dermatomyositis, and neonatal lupus. Iatrogenic chimerism has been investigated in …