BACKGROUND

The immune host defense mechanisms are essential for fighting invading
pathogens, and thus for the survival of all multicellular organisms. Immune responses
have been classically divided into innate and adaptive. The cells of the innate immune
system such as granulocytes, macrophages or Natural Killer (NK) cells are immediately
available to fight efficiently and kill a broad range of pathogens, but are thought not to
confer specificity or immunological memory to the host defense. Innate immunity is
classically defined as unable to build up immunological memory. Recently however, the
assumption of the lack of immunological memory within innate immune responses has
been reconsidered. Plants and invertebrates lacking adaptive immune system can be
protected against secondary infections. It has been shown that mammals can build cross-
protection to secondary infections independently of T-lymphocytes and B-lymphocytes
(Quintin et al., 2014).

Quintin., Shih-ih., Jos., Mihai. 2014. nnate immune memory: towards a better
understanding of host defense mechanisms. Elsevier, 29 : 1-7