The immune system typically protects our bodies from infection and illness by fending off foreign invaders. During pregnancy, however, the mother鈥檚 immune system works in an unusual manner to support the health and development of the baby. One particularly important role for cells of the immune system during pregnancy is to promote the growth of the mother鈥檚 blood vessels, which provide the growing baby with nutrients. This image of a mouse uterus captured early in pregnancy shows a large number of immune cells interacting with the mother鈥檚 blood vessels to facilitate vessel growth and nurture a healthy pregnancy.
Submission Year:
2015-16
Photographer's affiliation:
Graduate student
Academic areas:
Graduate Studies and Postdoctoral Affairs
Health Sciences
Photo:
Categories:
PhD student/candidate
School of Graduate Studies
Faculty of Health Sciences
School of Medicine
Department of Biomedical and Molecular Sciences
Fundamental Principles of Nature: from Discovery to Application and Innovation
Ecology, Biodiversity and the Natural Environment
Location of photograph:
Botterell Hall, Queen's University
Photographer's name:
Allison Felker
Display Photographers Affiltion + Faculty or Department:
PhD Student, Biomedical and Molecular Sciences