PERSPECTIVE: Principles of ecological immunology
Year: 2008
Type: article
Abstract: Defending self against nonself is a major problem in a world in which individuals are under constant pressure from parasites that gain fitness benefits at a cost to their host. Defences that have evolved are diverse, and range from behavioural adaptations to physiochemical barriers. The immune defence is a final line of protection and is therefore of great importance. Given this importance, variability in immune defence would seem counterintuitive, yet that is what is observed. Ecological immunology attempts to explain this variation by invoking costs and trade-offs, and in turn proposing that the optimal immune defence will vary over environments. Studies in this field have been highly successful in establishing an evolutionary ecology framework around immunology. However, in order enrich our understanding of this area, it is perhaps time to broaden the focus to include parasites as more than simply elicitors of immune responses. In essence, to view immunity as produced by the host, the environment, and the active involvement of parasites.
Source: Evolutionary Applications
Authors: Ben M. Sadd, Paul Schmid‐Hempel
Institutions: ETH Zurich, Institute of Integrative Biology
Language: English
Domain: Life Sciences
Open Access status: gold
Estimated APC paid: $4,320
OpenAlex ID: W2125751384