Ontogeny of immunity in humans

https://doi.org/10.1016/0090-1229(75)90093-8Get rights and content

Abstract

During embryogenesis differentiation of cells originally derived from the single-celled zygote results in the emergence of an organism with highly complex humoral and cellular immune systems. In some species, particularly the mouse and the chicken, detailed descriptive and experimental analysis of the elements and interrelationships of the complex process of immunologic differentiation have been possible. Such studies have given rise to the original concept of a two-component immune system, one for humoral and the other for cellular immune reactions, each with its separate central organ, e.g., the bursa of Fabricius and the thymus in the chicken, respectively. The study of the ontogeny of immunity in man is still in its infancy and currently limited largely because of legal and moral restraints. However, through the use of tissue culture and other sensitive in vitro techniques, human immunologic embryology has recently emerged as a provocative and scientifically exciting endeavor. The following summarizes salient aspects of our current knowledge of the development of cellular and humoral immunity in the human fetus.

References (59)

  • M. Papiernik

    Blood

    (1970)
  • H.R. Colten

    Clin. Immunol. Immunopathol.

    (1973)
  • J. Wybran et al.

    Clin. Immunol. Immunopathol.

    (1973)
  • M.D. Cooper et al.

    Lancet

    (1971)
  • D.S. Rowe et al.

    Nature New Biol.

    (1973)
  • N.L. Warner

    Advan. Immunol.

    (1974)
  • D.P. Stites et al.
  • T. Meo et al.
  • M. Seligmann et al.

    Clin. Exp. Immunol.

    (1974)
  • L. Weiss
  • W.W. Copenhaver
  • J.B. Solomon
  • J.J.T. Owen
  • M.A.S. Moore et al.

    J. Exp. Med.

    (1967)
  • R.B. Taylor

    Brit. J. Exp. Path.

    (1964)
  • A.M. Silverstein et al.

    Lab. Invest.

    (1962)
  • F.S. Rosen
  • C.W. Fishel et al.
  • R. Propp et al.

    Science

    (1968)
  • S. Ruddy et al.

    Immunology

    (1970)
  • D. Gitlin et al.

    J. Clin. Invest.

    (1966)
  • H.R. Colten et al.

    J. Exp. Med.

    (1968)
  • H.R. Colten

    J. Clin. Invest.

    (1972)
  • L. Martensson et al.

    J. Immunol.

    (1965)
  • H.H. Fudenberg et al.

    Science

    (1964)
  • R. Van Furth et al.

    J. Exp. Med.

    (1965)
  • D. Gitlin et al.

    J. Clin. Invest.

    (1969)
  • J. Wybran et al.

    Trans. Assoc. Amer. Physicians

    (1971)
  • M. Jondal et al.

    J. Exp. Med.

    (1972)
  • Cited by (0)

    View full text