Coevolution of the coagulation and immune systems

Area of Science:

• Evolutionary biology
• Immunology
• Hematology

Background:

• The coagulation and immune systems are crucial for host defense against pathogens in higher organisms.
• Coagulation acts as a primary barrier against diverse foreign invaders like bacteria, viruses, and protozoa.
• Both systems provide protective responses against a wide spectrum of pathogens, including viruses, parasites, fungi, and bacteria.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review existing research on the evolutionary origins of the coagulation and immune systems.
• To explore the interconnectedness and divergence of these two vital biological systems.

Main Methods:

• Systematic review of scientific literature.
• Analysis of evidence from studies on coagulation and immune systems in evolutionary contexts.
• Literature search conducted across databases: PsycINFO, CIHAHL, PubMed, and Web of Science.

Main Results:

• Evidence suggests a common origin for the coagulation and early immune systems in primitive organisms.
• Hemocytes in lower organisms are proposed as the ancestral link from which both systems developed.
• Evolutionary divergence led to specialized subsystems for immunity and coagulation in more complex life forms.

Conclusions:

• Simple organisms possess hemocytes capable of both immune and coagulation functions.
• Evolutionary separation of these functions resulted in distinct thrombocyte and plasmatic coagulation subsystems in higher organisms.
• The observed overlap between immunity and hemostasis in vertebrates is explained by their shared evolutionary history, supporting the coevolution hypothesis.