Advancing age and immune cell dysfunction: is it reversible or not?
BACKGROUND
Decline in immune function with advancing age is a hallmark of aging. As a result, infectious diseases cause more morbidity and mortality to the elderly. These age-related changes significantly alter the functionality of both innate and adaptive immune components.


OBJECTIVE
Although age-associated dysfunction of the immune system is well reported, not much is known about the extrinsic and intrinsic factors that progressively bring about functional changes in immune cell types.


METHODS
This review focuses on our current understanding of age-associated changes in innate and adaptive immune cell types and how this knowledge could be used to improve the immune competence of elderly individuals.


CONCLUSIONS
Therapeutic approaches to rejuvenate the exhausted immune system in the elderly need more attention.
Suvas
Susmit
S
Oakland University, Department of Biological Sciences, SEB 305, Rochester, Michigan, USA. suvas@oakland.edu
D000222:Adaptation, Physiological / Q000276:immunology; D000368:Aged; D000375:Aging / Q000276:immunology*; D000818:Animals; D006801:Humans; D007111:Immunity, Cellular; D007113:Immunity, Innate