title: Perspective: edible vaccines--a concept coming of age.
abstract: In addition to their traditional role as a source of natural medicines, it is now possible to genetically engineer plants to produce pharmaceuticals. Transgenic plants expressing antigens from pathogenic microorganisms offer many advantages as low-cost production systems and effective delivery systems for vaccines. This new technology might contribute to global vaccine programs and might have a dramatic impact on health care in developing countries.
authors.affiliation: Boyce Thompson Institute for Plant Research, Ithaca, NY 14853-1801, USA.
authors.forename: T S
authors.initials: TS
authors.lastname: Mor
authors.forename: M A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Gómez-Lim
authors.forename: K E
authors.initials: KE
authors.lastname: Palmer
mesh_terms: D000284:Administration, Oral; D000818:Animals; D000942:Antigens, Bacterial / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D000956:Antigens, Viral / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D001428:Bacterial Vaccines / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D030821:Plants, Genetically Modified / Q000276:immunology; D019444:Vaccines, DNA / Q000276:immunology*; D014765:Viral Vaccines / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: D000942:Antigens, Bacterial; D000956:Antigens, Viral; D001428:Bacterial Vaccines; D019444:Vaccines, DNA; D014765:Viral Vaccines