Graft-versus-host disease

Definition

Graft-versus-host disease is a condition that occurs when donor immune cells from a transplant attack the recipient's body tissues and organs. It commonly arises after an allogeneic bone marrow or stem cell transplant, where the donor's immune cells recognize the recipient's body as foreign and initiate an attack.

Related terms

Allogeneic transplant: A procedure in which a person receives blood-forming stem cells from a genetically different donor.

Immune response: The reaction of the immune system against foreign substances in the body.

Tissue compatibility: The degree to which the tissues of a donor and recipient are immunologically compatible with each other