Introduction The human brain arises from a restricted population of embryonic cells to become the most complex organ system known during the brief 280 days of human gestation. The newborn brain is comprised of billions of neurons and glia arranged…
Introduction Like the skin and gastrointestinal (GI) tract, the lung is a mucosal organ with a large surface area exposed to the external environment. Unlike the skin and GI tract, the lung is considered to be largely sterile below the…
Introduction In 1891, it was discovered in experimental animals that immunity was transmitted through breast-feeding. , In the second decade of the 20th century, the incidence of diarrheal diseases was found to be much lower in breast-fed infants than cow’s…
Clinical Relevance of Inflammation in the Fetus and Neonate Thanks to skilled clinicians and cutting-edge technologies, care of the critically ill neonate has advanced significantly since the inception of neonatology. However, interventions presently employed by neonatologists to sustain patients’ lives,…
Introduction The complement system is composed of more than 30 soluble proteins, cell surface regulatory factors, and receptors that work together to accomplish a wide variety of functions. These are important not only in host defense and inflammatory responses but…
Introduction The response of the immune-competent host to invasive pathogens includes a variety of local and systemic mechanisms. Among these are humoral elements, such as complement or immunoglobulins (Igs), as well as cellular defenses that involve both innate (nonspecific but…
Overview of the Mononuclear Phagocyte System The mononuclear phagocyte system (MPS) refers to a network of cells that share the ability to engulf (i.e., internalize) and digest large particles such as whole microbes (e.g., bacteria, fungi, and viruses) or dying…
Acknowledgments The authors would like to acknowledge Tucker LeBien for portions of this chapter derived from the previous edition. Introduction Mammalian b-cell development occurs via a series of sequential developmental transitions that culminate in the establishment of a protective antibody…
Acknowledgment The authors wish to thank Marcia McDuffie, MD, Anthony R. Hayward, MD, PhD, and Luigi Notarangelo, MD, PhD, who contributed exceptionally to previous editions of this chapter in the third edition of Fetal and Neonatal Physiology . Introduction Hematopoietic…
Overview of Innate and Adaptive Antiviral Immunity Viral host defense mechanisms of humans depend on a combination of tightly integrated innate and adaptive immune mechanisms. Key innate immune mechanisms include antiviral and proinflammatory cytokines, such as type I interferon (IFN),…