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Aging is a complex multifactorial process, a prominent component being the senescence of the immune system. Consequently, immune-related diseases develop, including atherosclerosis, cancer, and life-threatening infections, which impact on health and longevity. Rejuvenating the aged immune system could mitigate these diseases, thereby contributing to longevity and health. Currently, an appealing option for rejuvenating the immune system is heterochronous autologous hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (haHSCT), where healthy autologous bone marrow/peripheral blood stem cells are collected during the youth of an individual, cryopreserved, and re-infused when he or she has reached an older age. After infusion, young hematopoietic stem cells can reconstitute the compromised immune system and improve immune function. Several studies using animal models have achieved substantial extension of the life span of animals treated with haHSCT. Therefore, haHSCT could be regarded as a potential procedure for preventing age-related immune defects and extending healthy longevity. In this review, the pros, cons, and future feasibility of this approach are discussed.

Review on the molecular and cellular mechanisms which guide immune tolerance associated with dendritic cells, with focus on transplantation setting. During the discovery of mechanisms that govern immune activation and suppression, immune tolerance always came second in the scientific timeline. This has subsequently shaped the advances in the clinical translation of DC therapy protocols used for immunostimulation or immunosuppression. With several hundred clinical trials already registered within the U.S. National Institutes of Health for the use of DCs in cancer vaccination, only a few involve TolDCs for use as negative vaccines. However, as a result of the strong scientific rationale from preclinical and clinical trials, the use of negative vaccination in organ transplantation is likely on its way to reach the extent of the use of positive cancer vaccines in the future. As the underlying mechanisms emerge, the role of DCs in the induction of transplant tolerance is recognized unambiguously as central in the bidirectional communication with various types of immune cells. This is achieved by a complex interplay of numerous tolerogenic signals involving regulatory cytokines and other surface‐bound or soluble inhibitory molecules associated with corresponding inhibitory signaling cascades. A detailed understanding of these processes will accelerate the advances of clinical immunologists in translating their knowledge from bench to bedside. In this review, we present the role of TolDCs as well as the most recent findings concerning associated molecular and cellular mechanisms that shape the balance between regulatory and effector immune responses during organ transplantation.

A short history of the blood transfusion activities in Slovenia is given, starting with the hommage to Dr. Janez Plecnik, a contributor to the famous experiment of the ABO blood groups discovery by Landsteiner in 1900. The organized blood transfusion services of Slovenia that celebrate the 60th anniversary in 2006 have been traditionally based on a system of unpaid voluntary blood donations which resulted, supported by the Red Cross activities, in satisfactory blood supply outcomes. Due to the increased quality and safety demands for blood products, the major changes and reorganization of the blood transfusion service in Slovenia started in 1990s. In this review, the current situation of blood transfusion services as well as of transfusion medicine in Slovenia is described. Details are given regarding the national legislation, public perception, guidelines, quality systems, accreditation, risk management, cost containment and control, hemovigilance and contingency plans, followed by specific information dealing with the national strategies for the management of immunological risk and for prevention of transmission of diseases by blood transfusion. Finally, the future development of the blood transfusion services of Slovenia is discussed, taking into account the circumstances that point into the direction of further centralization of processing, quality management and national data bases of blood donors and patients.