Immunologists, perhaps understandably, most often concentrate on the human immune system, an anthropocentric focus that has resulted in a dearth of information about the immune function of all other species within the animal kingdom. However, knowledge of animal immune function could help not only to better understand human immunology, but perhaps more importantly, it could help to treat and avoid the blights that affect animals, which consequently affect humans. Take for example the mass death of honeybees in recent years – their demise, resulting in much less pollination, poses a serious threat to numerous crops, and thus the food supply. There is a similar disappearance of frogs internationally, signaling ecological problems, among them fungal infections. This book aims to fill this void by describing and discussing what is known about non-human immunology. It covers various major animal phyla, its chapters organized in a progression from the simplest unicellular organisms to the most complex vertebrates, mammals. Chapters are written by experts, covering the latest findings and new research being conducted about each phylum. Edwin L. Cooper is a Distinguished Professor in the Laboratory of Comparative Immunology, Department of Neurobiology at UCLA’s David Geffen School of Medicine.
It can be seen that the insects are the still attracting most research and researchers. However, an increasing interest is emerging to study new invertebrate groups, especially those where the genome is known. Even though Drosophila has been and still is an excellent model for immune studies, it is now clear that there are great differences between immune responses in Drosophila and that of several other invertebrates, which indeed calls for more research on other invertebrates
The second edition of Avian Immunology provides an up-to-date overview of the current knowledge of avian immunology. From the ontogeny of the avian immune system to practical application in vaccinology, the book encompasses all aspects of innate and adaptive immunity in chickens. In addition, chapters are devoted to the immunology of other commercially important species such as turkeys and ducks, and to ecoimmunology summarizing the knowledge of immune responses in free-living birds often in relation to reproductive success. The book contains a detailed description of the avian innate immune system, encompassing the mucosal, enteric, respiratory and reproductive systems. The diseases and disorders it covers include immunodepressive diseases and immune evasion, autoimmune diseases, and tumors of the immune system. Practical aspects of vaccination are examined as well. Extensive appendices summarize resources for scientists including cell lines, inbred chicken lines, cytokines, chemokines, and monoclonal antibodies. The world-wide importance of poultry protein for the human diet, as well as the threat of avian influenza pandemics like H5N1 and heavy reliance on vaccination to protect commercial flocks makes this book a vital resource. This book provides crucial information not only for poultry health professionals and avian biologists, but also for comparative and veterinary immunologists, graduate students and veterinary students with an interest in avian immunology. - With contributions from 33 of the foremost international experts in the field, this book provides the most up-to-date review of avian immunology so far - Contains a detailed description of the avian innate immune system reviewing constitutive barriers, chemical and cellular responses; it includes a comprehensive review of avian Toll-like receptors - Contains a wide-ranging review of the "ecoimmunology" of free-living avian species, as applied to studies of population dynamics, and reviews methods and resources available for carrying out such research
“Go into partnership with nature; she does more than half the work and asks none of the fee.” - Martin H. Fisher. Nature has undertaken an immense amount of work throughout evolution. The evolutionary process has provided a power of information that can address key questions such as - Which immune molecules and pathways are conserved across species? Which molecules and pathways are exploited by pathogens to cause disease? What methods can be broadly used or readily adapted for wild immunology? How does co-infection and exposure to a dynamic environment affect immunity? Section 1 addresses these questions through an evolutionary approach. Laboratory mice have been instrumental in dissecting the nuances of the immune system. The first paper investigates the immunology of wild mice and reviews how evolution and ecology sculpt differences in the immune responses of wild mice and laboratory mice. A better understanding of wild immunology is required and sets the scene for the subsequent papers. Although nature doesn't ask for a fee, it is appropriate that nature is repaid in one form or another. The translational theme of the second section incorporates papers that translate wild immunology back to nature. But any non-human, non-laboratory mouse research environment is hindered by a lack of research tools, hence the underlying theme throughout the second section. Physiological resource allocation is carefully balanced according to the most important needs of the body. Tissue homeostasis can involve trade-offs between energy requirements of the host and compensatory mechanisms to respond to infection. The third section comprises a collection of papers that employ novel strategies to understand how the immune system is compensated under challenging physiological situations. Technology has provided substantial advances in understanding the immune system at cellular and molecular levels. The specificity of these tools (e.g. monoclonal antibodies) often limits the study to a specific species or strain. A consequence of similar genetic sequences or cross-reactivity is that the technology can be adapted to wild species. Section 4 provides two examples of probing wild immunology by adapting technology developed for laboratory species.
The oral mucosa is a challenging environment from an immunological perspective, containing discrete niches with a unique architecture and function that requires precise adjustment of the immune system. Being the port of entry to the gastrointestinal and respiratory tracts, the oral cavity is also constantly challenged by antigens derived from air and food. Moreover, the oral cavity is the sole tissue of the body harboring a hard surface (i.e. the tooth) that is exposed to the hostile external environment, resulting in the formation of a complex biofilm that has local and systemic effects. To deal with such challenges, the oral immune system aims to prevent the invasion of pathogens/harmful antigens and to tolerate non-pathogenic counterparts in order to maintain homeostasis. In recent years, numerous studies have addressed these fundamental issues, revealing sophisticated mechanisms engaged by the immune system to maintain oral mucosal homeostasis and to combat various immunological insults. Some of these studies have identified novel immunological mechanisms, emphasizing the uniqueness of the oral immune system and the necessity to further investigate its functions.
Exploration in Laboratory Animal Sciences Understanding Life Phenomena updates our knowledge about the newer technologies such as molecular biology, genomics including sequencing, proteomics, transcriptomics, cell culture, stem cell culture, transgenesis and their translation to understand systematics and phylogeny of laboratory animals at molecular level. In seven sections Exploration in Laboratory Animal Sciences Understanding Life Phenomena resolves issues of conservation, applications in environment monitoring, production of drugs and others. Comparative research has enabled use of domestic animal models that translate the advances in basic biosciences to the schemes for human welfare including medicine. Molecular geneticists are unravelling the complexities of mammalian genes and the field of biotechnology is maturing at a fast pace. Additionally, research focused on immunology and animal behavior offer new insight into ways of enhancing animal welfare. The rise in consumption of animal proteins in addition to the challenges of sustaining our natural resources has given animal scientists a vast array of opportunities to engage in integrative systems-based research for meeting the challenges that behold us. Exploration in Laboratory Animal Sciences Understanding Life Phenomena also discusses the manipulation of animals as factories for the production of safe foods, drugs, and sensors and others to meet the contemporary challenges faced by mankind in the new world order created by pandemic of Covid 19. It also includes several chapters on the causation and management of certain diseases and impact of microbes on life. - Provides insight to newer and futuristic technologies to understand disease process and drug design by animal models - Addresses a wide variety of species and covers a wide variety of topics (such as animal species, the laboratory setting, regulatory guidelines, and ethical considerations) to fully prepare for work with all types of animals - Gives a perspective on laboratory animal use that allows to explain the benefits of animal use as required by veterinary technology program accreditation procedure - Includes examples of animal bio-technological techniques (including stem cell and tissue engineering) for their applications to humanity - Offers new insight into ways of enhancing animal welfare by the inclusion of research results focused on immunology and laboratory animal behavior
The world’s population is predicted to hit 9 Billion by 2050, and with it food demand is predicted to increase substantially. The World Bank estimates that cereal and meat production needs to increase by 50% and 85% respectively between 2000 and 2030 to meet demand, putting serious pressure on the global agricultural industry. Critical to meeting this demand for food are mechanisms to reduce the incidence of animal disease. With in excess of 1.3 billion cattle globally, the total cost of infectious diseases is difficult to estimate. However in North America alone, the cost is predicted to be $18 billion annually. Non-infectious diseases also account for another major impediment to the production capacity and welfare of animals as well as the economic sustainability of farming. However animal diseases have implications that spread far beyond the farm gate. Infectious agents can also contaminate the food chain, and potentially affect human health. Controlling diseases, through better preventative and treatment methods requires a detailed understanding of the immune response in livestock species. Multiple studies have identified associations between variation in immune genes and disease susceptibility, which potentially opens up new avenues to select animals with superior disease resistance. Detailed understanding of immunity in cattle is leading to the design of more effective vaccines. Furthermore, appreciation of the significant differences between rodent and human immune responses has also led to bovine models being developed for some human diseases. The publication of the bovine genome and the advent of next-generation sequencing technologies have facilitated a massive expansion in our knowledge of the immune response in cattle. As a result there has been an explosion of exciting research findings including in metagenomics and epigenetics. Recently, there has been a welcome move to integrate our emerging understanding of the immune response with detailed studies of other important physiological processes including nutrition and reproduction. The interactions between the reproductive system, nutrition and the immune system are of particular interest, since each places significant demands on the animal at various stages through the production cycle. The interplay between these morphologically diffuse systems involves widely distributed chemical signals in response to environmental input, and each system must interact for the normal functioning of the other. A comprehensive “systems” approach is improving our understanding of normal physiological interactions between these systems and furthermore, how dysregulation can lead to disease. The successful translation of bovine immunological research into improved treatments for animal disease requires tight interaction between diverse scientific and clinical disciplines including immunology, microbiology, endocrinology, physiology, nutrition, reproduction and clinical veterinary medicine. With so much recent progress in the field, we believe that it is valuable and well-timed to review the broad variety of the relevant studies that attempt to increase our understanding through comprehensive collaboration between these disciplines. We are looking forward to a wide and vivid discussion of developments in bovine immunology and related issues, and we expect that our readers profoundly benefit from new exciting insights and fruitful collaborations.
