Hatching time for monotreme immunology
Details
Publication Year 2009,Volume 57,Issue #3-4,Page 185-198
Journal Title
AUSTRALIAN JOURNAL OF ZOOLOGY
Publication Type
Journal Article
Abstract
The sequencing of the platypus genome has spurred investigations into the characterisation of the monotreme immuneresponse. As the most divergent of extant mammals, the characterisation of the monotreme immune repertoire allows us to trace the evolutionary history of immunity in mammals and provide insights into the immune gene complement of ancestral mammals. The immune system of monotremes has remained largely uncharacterised due to the lack of specific immunological reagents and limited access to animals for experimentation. Early immunological studies focussed on the anatomy and physiology of the lymphoid system in the platypus. More recent molecular studies have focussed on characterisation of individual immunoglobulin, T-cell receptor and MHC genes in both the platypus and short-beaked echidna. Here, we review the published literature on the monotreme immune gene repertoire and provide new data generated from genome analysis on cytokines, Fc receptors and immunoglobulins. We present an overview of key gene families responsible for innate and adaptive immunity including the cathelicidins, defensins, T-cell receptors and the major histocompatibility complex(MHC) Class I and Class II antigens. We comment on the usefulness of these sequences for future studies into immunity, health and disease in monotremes.
Publisher
CSIRO PUBLISHING
Keywords
MAJOR HISTOCOMPATIBILITY COMPLEX; SHORT-BEAKED ECHIDNA; PLATYPUS ORNITHORHYNCHUS-ANATINUS; DUCK-BILLED PLATYPUS; POLYMERIC IMMUNOGLOBULIN RECEPTOR; FC-ALPHA/MU RECEPTOR; TACHYGLOSSUS-ACULEATUS; IMMUNE-SYSTEM; MONODELPHIS-DOMESTICA; GENOMIC ORGANIZATION
Publisher's Version
https://doi.org/10.1071/ZO09042
Terms of Use/Rights Notice
Refer to copyright notice on published article.


Creation Date: 2009-01-01 12:00:00
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