Immunité innée et cognitive aux interfaces muqueuses

Mucosal epithelial interfaces, essential for a proper interaction of the individual with the environment of the digestive, respiratory or reproductive tracts, are protected by a powerful immune system that appears more and more sophisticated and controlled. This system involves the newly described cells and molecules of innate immunity, which appear phylogenetically highly conserved. Mucosae are moreover seeded by immunocompetent cells (antigen presenting cells, B and T lymphocytes), that traffic between the major inductive sites of Peyer's patches, and diversified effector sites. These cells elaborate original effector and regulatory molecules (secretory IgA, cytokines, chemokines). This complex and tightly controlled system is usually quite silent. Specific pathologies may however develop, the exploration of which being progressively more possible. Increasing knowledge about the mucosae associated immune system suggests that new treatments with mucosal impact should develop in the future.