About this Research Topic
There is growing interest in understanding the immune systems of aquatic vertebrate species in order to develop and protect both farmed and wild aquatic species in a sustainable manner. Animals such as cartilaginous/bony fish and amphibians exhibit hallmark immune components associated with mammalian immunity, but also provide examples of intriguing and novel innate immune mechanisms. For example, aquatic vertebrates possess (i) distinct repertoires of key vertebrate cytokines and growth factors; (ii) unique pathogen recognition and anti-pathogenic strategies as well as (iii) novel immune cell differentiation mechanisms. Aquatic vertebrates possess much less developed adaptive immune responses compared to mammals and therefore, rely much more heavily on innate immune defenses for the control of infiltrating pathogens. Therefore, studies that aim to identify and characterize innate immune responses in these animals are timely and important.
By coalescing the recent advances in the current understanding of the innate immune responses of aquatic vertebrates within this Research Topic, we aim to broaden the appreciation of a spectrum of research communities towards these areas of research and in turn, to foster new perspectives on the evolutionary origins and the breadth of innate immune strategies seen across vertebrate species.
This Research Topic will be dedicated to an overview of the recent progress in the study of the innate immune responses of aquatic vertebrates including:
1. Innate immune cell development and functional differentiation.
2. Anti-viral determinants of innate immunity.
3. Anti-parasitic innate immune responses.
4. Anti-microbial innate immunity.
5. Molecular regulation of innate immune responses.
6. Pathogen recognition receptors.
7. Cell death as an innate immune response.
8. Innate immune lineage commitment and differentiation.
9. Mucosal innate immunity.
10. Innate immune cytokine/chemokine receptors and downstream signaling pathways.
We welcome the submission of Original Research, Methods, Review and Mini-Review articles in this Research Topic.
By coalescing the recent advances in the current understanding of the innate immune responses of aquatic vertebrates within this Research Topic, we aim to broaden the appreciation of a spectrum of research communities towards these areas of research and in turn, to foster new perspectives on the evolutionary origins and the breadth of innate immune strategies seen across vertebrate species.
This Research Topic will be dedicated to an overview of the recent progress in the study of the innate immune responses of aquatic vertebrates including:
1. Innate immune cell development and functional differentiation.
2. Anti-viral determinants of innate immunity.
3. Anti-parasitic innate immune responses.
4. Anti-microbial innate immunity.
5. Molecular regulation of innate immune responses.
6. Pathogen recognition receptors.
7. Cell death as an innate immune response.
8. Innate immune lineage commitment and differentiation.
9. Mucosal innate immunity.
10. Innate immune cytokine/chemokine receptors and downstream signaling pathways.
We welcome the submission of Original Research, Methods, Review and Mini-Review articles in this Research Topic.
Keywords: Aquatic vertebrates, Bony fish, Cartilaginous fish, Amphibian, Innate immunity, Aquaculture
Important Note: All contributions to this Research Topic must be within the scope of the section and journal to which they are submitted, as defined in their mission statements. Frontiers reserves the right to guide an out-of-scope manuscript to a more suitable section or journal at any stage of peer review.
