title: The innate immune response.
abstract: The innate immune response is of prime importance in the immediate recognition and elimination of invading micro-organisms. However, deregulation of this system is clearly associated with the pathogenesis of a wide range of inflammatory diseases. Innate immunity consists of a humoral and a cellular branch, which are closely interacting. An additional level of control is found at the level of neuronal reflexes that can fine-tune these immunological mechanisms.
authors.affiliation: Department of Respiratory Medicine, University Medical Center Utrecht, The Netherlands. Electronic address: L.Koenderman@umcutrecht.nl.
authors.forename: Leo
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Koenderman
authors.affiliation: School for Mental Health and Neuroscience, Maastricht University Medical Center, The Netherlands. Electronic address: W.Buurman@maastrichtuniversity.nl.
authors.forename: Wim
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Buurman
authors.affiliation: Department of Nephrology, Leiden University Medical Center, The Netherlands. Electronic address: M.R.Daha@lumc.nl.
authors.forename: Mohamed R
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Daha
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D006801:Humans; D007113:Immunity, Innate / Q000502:physiology*; D007249:Inflammation / Q000276:immunology
keywords: Cellular and humoral branch; Complement system; Granulocytes; Innate immune response; Macrophages; Neuronal regulation