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Intrarenal Injection of Escherichia coli in a Rat Model of Pyelonephritis
Published on: July 18, 2017
The innate immune response during urinary tract infection and pyelonephritis
John David Spencer1, Andrew L Schwaderer, Brian Becknell
1Department of Pediatrics, Division of Nephrology, Nationwide Children's Hospital, 700 Children's Drive, Columbus, OH, 43205, USA, john.spencer@nationwidechildrens.org.
Abstract:
Despite its proximity to the fecal flora, the urinary tract is considered sterile. The precise mechanisms by which the urinary tract maintains sterility are not well understood. Host immune responses are critically important in the antimicrobial defense of the urinary tract. During recent years, considerable advances have been made in our understanding of the mechanisms underlying immune homeostasis of the kidney and urinary tract. Dysfunctions in these immune mechanisms may result in acute disease, tissue destruction and overwhelming infection. The objective of this review is to provide an overview of the innate immune response in the urinary tract in response to microbial assault. In doing so, we focus on the role of antimicrobial peptides-a ubiquitous component of the innate immune response.
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