Encyclopedia of Immunotoxicology

2016 Edition
| Editors: Hans-Werner Vohr

Rodent Immune System, Development of the

Reference work entry
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-54596-2_1297
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Synonyms

 Mouse immune system;  Murine immune system;  Rat immune system

Definition

Our understanding of cells and tissues that make up the immune system of vertebrates came from seminal studies of avian species. However, rodents have become the animal model of choice for studies of immunocompetence, and most of our knowledge of the development of the immune system has come from studies using mice or rats. The rodent immune system develops through a set of critical windows of vulnerability during embryonic and adult life that can be used for evaluating effects of environmental exposure to potentially toxic compounds (Dietert et al. 2000). Most of the information in this review comes from studies of mice and, in all cases tested, closely parallels that found in other rodents, including rats.

Characteristics

Embryonic development. Embryonic development of the immune system in rodents initiates with formation of multipotential hematopoietic stem cells (HSC) in intraembryonic...
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References

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Copyright information

© Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg 2016

Authors and Affiliations

  1. 1.Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Cell BiologyWest Virginia University Health Sciences CenterMorgantownUSA