Transfusion-associated microchimerism in traumatic patients

Transfusion-associated microchimerism (TA-MC) is the stable persistence of an allogeneic cell population, resulting from allogeneic blood transfusion (often resulting after trauma). Currently TA-MC is not completely understood, needing further study to reveal its underlying mechanism. This article reviews the immune tolerance mechanism of TA-MC; factors which lead to the appearance of TA-MC; clinical implications of microchimerism; and the latest diagnostic methods of TA-MC.