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- Title
Primate defensins.
- Authors
Lehrer, Robert I
- Abstract
Defensins are endogenous, cysteine-rich antimicrobial peptides that contribute to host defence against bacterial, fungal and viral infections. There are three subfamilies of defensins in primates: alpha-defensins are most common in neutrophils and Paneth cells of the small intestine; beta-defensins protect the skin and the mucous membranes of the respiratory, genitourinary and gastrointestinal tracts; and theta-defensins, which are expressed only in Old World monkeys, lesser apes and orangutans, are lectins with broad-spectrum antiviral efficacy. Here, their discovery and recent advances in understanding their properties and functions are described.
- Publication
Nature reviews. Microbiology, 2004, Vol 2, Issue 9, p727
- ISSN
1740-1526
- Publication type
Journal Article
- DOI
10.1038/nrmicro976