Mucosal Immune System of Cattle: All Immune Responses Begin Here

Christopher Chase; Radhey S Kaushik

doi:10.1016/j.cvfa.2019.08.006

Mucosal Immune System of Cattle: All Immune Responses Begin Here

Vet Clin North Am Food Anim Pract. 2019 Nov;35(3):431-451. doi: 10.1016/j.cvfa.2019.08.006.

Authors

Christopher Chase¹, Radhey S Kaushik²

Affiliations

¹ Department of Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences, South Dakota State University, PO Box 2175, SAR Room 125, North Campus Drive, Brookings, SD 57007, USA. Electronic address: Christopher.Chase@SDSTATE.edu.
² Department of Biology and Microbiology, South Dakota State University, Brookings, SD 57007, USA.

Abstract

This article discusses key concepts important for mucosal immunity. The mucosa is the largest immune organ of the body. The mucosal barrier (the tight junctions and the "kill zone") along with the mucosa epithelial cells maintaining an anti-inflammatory state are essential for the mucosal firewall. The microbiome (the microorganisms that are in the gastrointestinal, respiratory, and reproductive tract) is essential for immune development, homeostasis, immune response, and maximizing animal productivity. Mucosal vaccination provides an opportunity to protect animals from most infectious diseases because oral, gastrointestinal, respiratory, and reproductive mucosa are the main portals of entry for infectious disease.

Keywords: Bovine; Gastrointestinal; Immunology; Microbiome; Mucosal; Reproductive; Respiratory.

Publication types

Review

MeSH terms

Animals
Cattle / immunology*
Female
Immunity, Cellular
Immunity, Humoral
Immunity, Mucosal / immunology*