Innate mechanisms

The common microbial patterns render recognition by organisms and their self/ nonself recognition is based on innate mechanisms. The common microbial patterns include lipopolysaccharides (LPS), mannose, fucose, technoic acid and /V-formyl peptides. These common microbial patterns are called pattern recognition molecules (PRMs) or pattern recognition receptors (PRRs). 

Heeht, G. (1999). "Innate mechanisms of epithelial host defense spotlight on intestine." Am. J. Physiol. 277(3 Pt 1) C351-358. 

Knowles MR, Boucher RC (2002) Mucus clearance as a primary innate defense mechanism for mammalian airways. J Clin Invest 109 571—577... 

Humoral immunity depends on soluble, noncellular effector mechanisms of the immune system. These include defensins and complement components (proteins of the innate immune system) and antibodies (products of the adaptive immune system). They are capable of reacting with foreign substances (e.g., bacteria and viruses) to produce detoxification and elimination. 

While cells of the innate immune system can combat invading microbes autonomously, their effector mechanisms are also used and greatly enforced by the... 

In addition to the mechanisms of stress response so far considered, there are several others which have attracted the attention of plant ecologists. These include innate or environmentally determined forms of dormancy in seeds, spores, and vegetative buds, many of which represent adaptive responses restricting plant growth and development to favourable seasons or sites. Dormancy has been the subject of numerous publications and will not be considered here. Instead, opportunity will be taken to refer to two forms of plant response to stress which until recently have received only scarce attention. The first is the phenomenon of stored growth whilst the second involves the response of the developing shoot to mechanical impedance. 

Non-specific defence mechanisms (innate immune system)... 

In biochemical systems, acid-base and redox reactions are essential. Electron transfer plays an obvious, crucial role in photosynthesis, and redox reactions are central to the response to oxidative stress, and to the innate immune system and inflammatory response. Acid-base and proton transfer reactions are a part of most enzyme mechanisms, and are also closely linked to protein folding and stability. Proton and electron transfer are often coupled, as in almost all the steps of the mitochondrial respiratory chain. 

RNAi and ribozymes represent two additional approaches to gene silencing/down-regulation with therapeutic potential. RNAi is an innate cellular process that achieves silencing of selected genes via an anti-sense mechanism. It shares many characteristics with the antisense-based approach described above, but also some important differences, e.g. in the exact mechanism by which the antisense effect is achieved. 

Pruett, S. B. et al., Suppression of Innate Immunity by Ethanol A Global Perspective and a New Mechanism Beginning with Inhibition of Signaling Through Toll-Like Receptor 3, J. Immunol., 173, 2715, 2004. 

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