title: Autonomous immunity in mucosal epithelial cells: fortifying the barrier against infection.
abstract: Mucosal epithelial cells express an autonomous innate immune response that controls the overgrowth of invaded bacteria, mitigates the harmful effects of the bacteria carried within, and does not rely on other external arms of the immune response. Epithelial cell autonomous innate immunity "respects" the social biology of invading bacteria to achieve symbiosis, and is the primary protective mechanism against pathogens.
authors.affiliation: Department of Diagnostic and Biological Sciences, School of Dentistry, University of Minnesota, USA.
authors.forename: Karen F
authors.initials: KF
authors.lastname: Ross
authors.affiliation: Department of Diagnostic and Biological Sciences, School of Dentistry, University of Minnesota, USA. Electronic address: mcherzb@umn.edu.
authors.forename: Mark C
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Herzberg
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D004847:Epithelial Cells / Q000276:immunology*; D004848:Epithelium / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D007113:Immunity, Innate; D018928:Immunity, Mucosal
keywords: Antimicrobial proteins; Cell signaling; Infection; Innate immunity; Mucosal epithelium