Brain heterogeneity leads to differential innate immune responses and modulates pathogenesis of viral infections

A functional central nervous system (CNS) is essential to ensure survival of the individual. Infection reduces this functionality by induction of apoptotic or inflammatory processes that lead to a loss of cognitive and motoric skills [1,2]. Therefore it is crucial that the CNS is protected from most viral infections by effective immune responses and multilayer barriers like the blood brain barrier (BBB) [3,4]. Upon pathogen entry, type I interferons (IFNs) are readily upregulated as a first line of defense [5,6].
Source: Cytokine and Growth Factor Reviews - Category: Molecular Biology Authors: Tags: Mini review Source Type: research