[Phylogenetics of the immunosystem].
The human immune system is composed of two closely cooperating entities: innate, "unspecific" immune defense on one hand and adaptive, "specific" immunity on the other. Innate immune defense mechanisms were already developed very early in the evolution of the animal kingdom. By contrast, adaptive immunity exclusively evolved in jawed vertebrates within a surprisingly short time span. New data especially from genome sequencing projects now allow first glimpses on those events that resulted in the formation of adaptive immunity.
Lindner
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Abteilung Zellbiologie im Zentrum Anatomie Medizinische Hochschule Hannover. rli@zellbiologie.mh-hannover.de
D000818:Animals; D005075:Biological Evolution; D006801:Humans; D007107:Immune System / Q000502:physiology*; D010802:Phylogeny