Evolutionary origin of the immune system: a dialogue with Rod Langman.
The need of a specific defence mechanism against intracellular pathogens is proposed to have arisen very early in evolution, perhaps already in protozoa, e.g. amoebae. The phagocytic machinery of amoebae lends itself as a possible starting point for the evolution of such a mechanism. The hypothetical evolutionary pathway described here has been constructed to demonstrate the feasibility of developing a defence system against pathogens in the amoeba, which bears resemblances to contemporary cell-mediated immunity, and can thus be considered as its ancestor.
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DrZaN Pharma Research Consulting, Wolfratshausen, Germany. zoltan.nagy@gmx.net
D000656:Amoeba / Q000276:immunology; D000818:Animals; D000953:Antigens, Protozoan / Q000276:immunology; D005075:Biological Evolution; D007107:Immune System; D007110:Immunity, Active; D007111:Immunity, Cellular; D008285:Major Histocompatibility Complex / Q000276:immunology
D000953:Antigens, Protozoan