Regulation of the mucosal immune response

Infectious diseases continue to exact an extensive toll on populations livi ng closest to the equatorial regions of the globe. A substantial proportion of these infections gain access to the host via the mucosal tissues. Thus, the development of new vaccines that enhance mucosal immunity is considere d to be of paramount importance in order to prevent or limit the impact of these infections. Mucosal immune responses must discriminate between commen sal flora within the lumen and potential pathogens. These responses are hig hly adapted to induce protection without excessive amounts of inflammation. The balances that regulate mucosal immune and inflammatory responses have to be understood if effective mucosal immunity is to be induced through loc al immunization. This review will summarize some of the unique properties o f mucosal immune responses and focus on recent advances that have significa ntly influenced our understanding of the regulation of immune and inflammat ory responses following infection.