Abstract

While the vertebrate immune system consists of innate and adaptive branches, invertebrates only have innate immunity. This feature makes them an ideal model system for studying the cellular and molecular mechanisms of innate immunity sensu stricto without reciprocal interferences from adaptive immunity. Although invertebrate immunity is evolutionarily older and a precursor of vertebrate immunity, it is far from simple. Despite lacking lymphocytes and functional immunoglobulin, the invertebrate immune system has many sophisticated mechanisms and features, such as long-term immune memory, which, for decades, have been exclusively attributed to adaptive immunity. In this review, we describe the cellular and molecular aspects of invertebrate immunity, including the epigenetic foundation of innate memory, the transgenerational inheritance of immunity, genetic immunity against invading transposons, the mechanisms of self-recognition, natural transplantation, and germ/somatic cell parasitism.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Article number1072
JournalInternational journal of molecular sciences
Volume25
Issue number2
DOIs
StatePublished - Jan 16 2024

Keywords

  • epigenetics
  • hemocyte
  • innate immunity
  • innate memory
  • invertebrate
  • transgenerational inheritance
  • transposons
  • Adaptive Immunity
  • Cell Communication
  • Germ Cells
  • Immunity, Innate
  • Animals
  • Invertebrates

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Catalysis
  • Molecular Biology
  • Spectroscopy
  • Computer Science Applications
  • Physical and Theoretical Chemistry
  • Organic Chemistry
  • Inorganic Chemistry

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