According to the classical view of the immune system, immune memory is only exhibited in vertebrates. However, since repeated exposure to parasites and pathogens plays a key role on the overall immune response, researchers have considered the possibility that the innate immune response could also have memory properties. Surprisingly, in the last decade, increasing evidence has suggested that animals from different lineages and plants respond to infections specifically and more effectively in a second challenge, after a previous exposure. This response has been termed innate memory or immune priming to distinguish it from vertebrates’ adaptive memory.
In this Research Topic, we aim to address some of the main questions at the forefront of this new field of biology. How did the innate memory evolve? How widespread is it in different taxa? What roles do parasites and pathogens, or endosymbiotic-bacteria, play in its development? What are the mechanisms responsible for this priming?
We encourage authors to contribute to this Research Topic with original research, review or opinion articles addressing these fundamental questions on the innate memory.
According to the classical view of the immune system, immune memory is only exhibited in vertebrates. However, since repeated exposure to parasites and pathogens plays a key role on the overall immune response, researchers have considered the possibility that the innate immune response could also have memory properties. Surprisingly, in the last decade, increasing evidence has suggested that animals from different lineages and plants respond to infections specifically and more effectively in a second challenge, after a previous exposure. This response has been termed innate memory or immune priming to distinguish it from vertebrates’ adaptive memory.
In this Research Topic, we aim to address some of the main questions at the forefront of this new field of biology. How did the innate memory evolve? How widespread is it in different taxa? What roles do parasites and pathogens, or endosymbiotic-bacteria, play in its development? What are the mechanisms responsible for this priming?
We encourage authors to contribute to this Research Topic with original research, review or opinion articles addressing these fundamental questions on the innate memory.
