The relationship between major histocompatibility receptors and innate immunity in teleost fish

Studies of the innate immune system have recently shown that, in addition t o its role in producing the primary response that slows down pathogens, it may also play an important role in initiating and directing the type of res ponse that the adaptive immune system makes. These discoveries have shown a complex web of control containing new roles for the innate immune system i n organizing responses of T-cell to antigens being presented by major histo compatibility receptors, as well as new roles for those receptors in innate immune responses. Both of these activities are managed through feedback ne tworks involving elements of both the innate and adaptive immune system. Th is paper will discuss these newly discovered interactions and how they are influencing current theories regarding the initiation of adaptive immune re sponses. In particular, it will highlight the recent progress that is being made towards understanding these relationships in the immune systems of te leost fish. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.