MEDICAL PROGRESS - RENAL-TRANSPLANTATION

Renal transplantation is the treatment of choice for patients with end-stage renal disease. Better comprehension of the rejection response, improved preservation of organs, judicious use of cyclosporine, the application of antilymphocyte agents for the prevention and treatment of rejection, and specific protocols for the prevention and treatment of infection have all contributed to the recent improvement in outcome after renal transplantation. Immunobiology of Renal Transplantation The Anti-Allograft (Rejection) Response Renal-allograft rejection depends on the coordinated activation of alloreactive T cells and antigen-presenting cells (e.g., monocyte-macrophages, dendritic cells, and B cells). Whereas acute rejection is a T-cell-dependent process, a broad array. © 1994, Massachusetts Medical Society. All rights reserved.