Related Experiment Videos
Do basophils play a role in immunity against parasites?
F H Falcone1, D I Pritchard, B F Gibbs
1Institute of Cell, Animal and Population Biology, University of Edinburgh, West Mains Road, EH9 3JT, Edinburgh, UK. franco.falcone@ed.ac.uk
Trends in Parasitology
|April 5, 2001
Summary
Parasitic infections trigger eosinophils and basophils. While eosinophils
Area of Science:
- Immunology
- Parasitology
Background:
- The connection between parasitic infections and eosinophilia is well-established.
- The role of eosinophils in host defense against parasites remains incompletely understood.
- Basophil induction during parasitic infections is less appreciated but increasingly recognized.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review the current knowledge on parasitic infections and basophils.
- To discuss the potential role of basophils in host immunity against parasites.
- To highlight the possible involvement of basophils in initiating T-helper type 2 responses.
Main Methods:
- Literature review of existing research on parasitic infections, eosinophils, and basophils.
- Synthesis of current understanding regarding basophil function in parasitic immunity.
- Discussion of emerging evidence on basophil-mediated T-helper type 2 responses.
Main Results:
- Parasitic infections induce both eosinophils and basophils in the host.
- The precise function of eosinophils in parasitic infections requires further elucidation.
- Emerging data suggest basophils may play a critical role in initiating protective immune responses.
Conclusions:
- Basophils are systematically induced in hosts infected with parasites.
- Basophils may be crucial for initiating T-helper type 2 immune responses.
- Further research is needed to fully understand the role of basophils in antiparasitic immunity.