Does Every Species Have an Immune System?

  • Thread starter wenxian
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In summary: The plant immune system : Article : NatureWhile it is clear that all birds have the typical vertebrate adaptive immune system and can produce antibodiesIt seems like you were told some hooey.Plants have an immune system as well:http://www.nature.com/nature/journal/v444/n7117/full/nature05286.htmlhttp://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC157182/pdf/1070679.pdfI'm thinking about the 'systemic acquired resistance', if that is a reasonable analog.I think antibodies (immunoglobulins) are restricted to vertebrates
  • #1
wenxian
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i was told that only mammals have(can produce by their own) antibody...
then how abt other animals like reptile,bird n fish??
without antibody,how can those animals protect themselves against diseases??
 
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  • #5
Ygggdrasil said:
But do plants use antibodies as part of their immune system? I thought plants had only an innate immune system and lacked an adaptive immune system.

Good question- I'm not an expert. The Nature article states "Plants, unlike mammals, lack mobile defender cells and a somatic adaptive immune system." I couldn't decipher all the pathways discussed.

http://www.stanford.edu/class/mi104/Plant immunity.pdf

I'm thinking about the 'systemic acquired resistance', if that is a reasonable analog.
 
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  • #7
it would make sense that they are restricted to vertebrates. Antibodies are white blood cells, which are derived form bone marrow cells. Anything non animals would probably be a case of convergent evolution, wouldn't it?

I guess a non-vertebrate (chordate) could have the same cells, I'm not really sure at what point in the "dividing line" the cells actually originated.
 
  • #8
Pythagorean said:
it would make sense that they are restricted to vertebrates. Antibodies are white blood cells, which are derived form bone marrow cells. Anything non animals would probably be a case of convergent evolution, wouldn't it?

I guess a non-vertebrate (chordate) could have the same cells, I'm not really sure at what point in the "dividing line" the cells actually originated.

Wow, yes - there are invertebrates with antibodies. Googling turns up http://www.scripps.edu/newsandviews/e_20040830/wilson.html: "Sharks are the most primitive animals known to have antibodies"!
 
  • #9
aren't sharks vertebrates?
 
  • #10
Pythagorean said:
aren't sharks vertebrates?

Yes they belong to the phylum chordata> subphylum vertebrata.

Vertebrates are chordates (notochords) with back"bones" that persist through life. In sharks, skates and rays however this is composed of cartilage, not bone.
 
  • #11
Pythagorean said:
aren't sharks vertebrates?

Ooops, yes. So in fact antibodies are restricted to vertebrates.
 
  • #12
I was just reading about certain proteins that exist in the human eye which are potent antibacterials. I'm sure there are plenty of options in nature for fighting off illnesses besides antibodies. Really interesting stuff!
 
  • #13
feathermoon said:
I was just reading about certain proteins that exist in the human eye which are potent antibacterials. I'm sure there are plenty of options in nature for fighting off illnesses besides antibodies. Really interesting stuff!

In deed, the most potent antimicrobials actually come from microbes themselves (a couple billion years of microbe on microbe violence--They have developed biological ways to kill each other that make our technology for harm and genocide look paltry! :wink:). Antibiotics for example!
 
  • #14
I hear alligator blood may be a source of new super-antibiotics:

http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2008/04/080407-alligator-blood.html

NatGeo said:
Chemists in Louisiana found that blood from the American alligator can successfully destroy 23 strains of bacteria, including strains known to be resistant to antibiotics.

In addition, the blood was able to deplete and destroy a significant amount of HIV, the virus that causes AIDS.

Study co-author Lancia Darville at Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge believes that peptides—fragments of proteins—within alligator blood help the animals stave off fatal infections.
 
  • #16
wenxian said:
i was told that only mammals have(can produce by their own) antibody...
then how abt other animals like reptile,bird n fish??
without antibody,how can those animals protect themselves against diseases??

many prokaryotes also have adaptive immune system. But, they provides RNA-guided destruction of foreign genetic material. And the process is distinct from RNA interference (RNAi).

http://www.nature.com/nature/journal/v482/n7385/full/nature10886.html
 
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  • #17
Well, antibiotic drugs like penicillin were developed from certain species of fungi, as are the sporin compounds used in topical antiseptic ointments. (Neosporin, e.g.)
 
  • #18
SteamKing said:
Well, antibiotic drugs like penicillin were developed from certain species of fungi, as are the sporin compounds used in topical antiseptic ointments. (Neosporin, e.g.)

While this is true, it's a different mechanism than immune responses which, at least in humans, is primarily mediated by protein antibodies produced by B cell lymphocytes as well as by T cell based activity. Beta lactam drugs such as penicillin derivatives work by interfering with bacterial cell wall synthesis. These are specifically bacteriocidal chemical agents rather than immunologic mechanisms.
 
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  • #19
Most of the animal kingdom likely has an innate immune system (Uncovering the evolutionary history of innate immunity: the simple metazoan Hydra uses epithelial cells for host defence. [Dev Comp Immunol. 2009] - PubMed - NCBI -- body-surface cells)

But only vertebrates have an adaptive immune system, one that can learn to respond to specific organisms. That's the kind of immune system that makes antibodies proper, though innate systems can make antibody-like molecules. Not just mammals make them, but also other land vertebrates and fish (The fight between the teleost fish immune response and aquatic viruses. [Mol Immunol. 2010] - PubMed - NCBI -- I found several papers on antibodies made by chickens, turtles, and frogs).
 
  • #20
Pythagorean said:
Antibodies are white blood cells

Antibodies are not white blood cells, they are not cells at all. They are proteins belonging to the immunoglobulin superfamily, and they are produced by certain classes of white blood cells called B lymphocytes and plasma cells.
 
  • #21
I agree, not sure what I was thinking or if I just misspoke. Old post.
 
  • #22
It may seem like other species and other animal kingdoms may not have immune systems, but actually they must all have one to survive. With a circulatory system often comes an immune system and fish and birds too have circulatory systems. Also, plants have circulatory systems (xylem and phloem), which can also be used to transport antibodies.

BTW, Curious3141 is correct, antibodies themselves are proteins. They are designed specifically to attach to the "thing" that needs to be "marked" for macro-phages to consume.
 

1. How do mammals produce antibodies?

Mammals produce antibodies through their immune system. When a foreign substance, such as a virus or bacteria, enters the body, the immune system recognizes it as a threat and produces antibodies to fight it off.

2. Can other animals besides mammals produce antibodies?

Yes, other animals such as birds, reptiles, and fish also have the ability to produce antibodies. However, their immune systems work differently and may not produce antibodies in the same way as mammals.

3. Why do only mammals have antibodies?

Mammals have evolved to have a more complex and efficient immune system compared to other animals. Antibodies play a crucial role in protecting mammals from a wide range of pathogens and diseases, making them essential for survival.

4. Are all mammals born with antibodies?

No, not all mammals are born with antibodies. Some antibodies are passed down from the mother to the offspring through breast milk or in utero, providing temporary protection. However, most mammals develop their own antibodies through exposure to pathogens.

5. Can mammals develop immunity without antibodies?

Yes, mammals can develop immunity without antibodies through cell-mediated immunity. This type of immunity involves the activation of specialized cells to fight off pathogens without the use of antibodies.

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