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Innate defence

Evidence for memory in invertebrate immunity

Abstract

Acquired immunity in vertebrates is characterized by immunological memory and specificity, whereas the innate defence systems of invertebrates are assumed to have no specific memory1,2,3. Here we use a model system of a copepod, which is a minute crustacean, and a parasitic tapeworm to show that the success of reinfection depends on the antigenic resemblance between the consecutively encountered parasites. This finding indicates that an invertebrate defence system may be capable of specific memory.

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Figure 1: Exposure of a copepod to a tapeworm parasite reduces the chances of reinfection by antigenically similar tapeworm larvae.

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Correspondence to Joachim Kurtz.

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The authors declare no competing financial interests.

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Kurtz, J., Franz, K. Evidence for memory in invertebrate immunity. Nature 425, 37–38 (2003). https://doi.org/10.1038/425037a

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