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- Title
Adaptive Immunity in Reptiles: Conventional Components but Unconventional Strategies.
- Authors
Zimmerman, Laura M
- Abstract
Recent studies have established that the innate immune system of reptiles is broad and robust, but the question remains: What role does the reptilian adaptive immune system play? Conventionally, adaptive immunity is described as involving T and B lymphocytes that display variable receptors, is highly specific, improves over the course of the response, and produces a memory response. While reptiles do have B and T lymphocytes that utilize variable receptors, their adaptive response is relatively non-specific, generates a prolonged antibody response, and does not produce a typical memory response. This alternative adaptive strategy may allow reptiles to produce a broad adaptive response that complements a strong innate system. Further studies into reptile adaptive immunity cannot only clarify outstanding questions on the reptilian immune system but can shed light on a number of important immunological concepts, including the evolution of the immune system and adaptive immune responses that take place outside of germinal centers.
- Subjects
ANTIBODY formation; T cells; IMMUNE system; IMMUNITY; GERMINAL centers; B cells; REPTILES
- Publication
Integrative & Comparative Biology, 2022, Vol 62, Issue 6, p1572
- ISSN
1540-7063
- Publication type
Article
- DOI
10.1093/icb/icac022