Immunology Of The Oral Mucosa PDF Download

Skin and oral mucosa both function as barriers to harmful environmental factors. However, clinical observations suggest that these tissues react differently to exposure to environmental insults. Metal exposure in the oral cavity is known to activate the immune system and in some cases results in skin inflammation. Clinical experience has shown that skin exposure can lead to sensitization whereas exposure in the oral mucosa often leads to tolerance. Limited literature is available on oral mucosal immunology. In general, when mucosal immunology is described it is actually referring to gut immunology which has an immunosuppressive character (“tolerance”) compared to the more inflammatory character of skin. The goal of the research described in this thesis was to gain more insight on the local innate immune responses in skin and oral mucosa and to develop a multi-organ approach to study systemic toxicity caused by oral metal exposure. Previous results in our lab have supported the possibility that the innate immune response in the oral mucosa is prone to respond to pathogen exposure acutely and efficiently and thereby eliminate imminent threats immediately as opposed to being tolerant. LC are generally known as immune stimulatory cells whilst there is strong evidence that they can have a more immune regulatory role as they are key players in induction and maintenance of tolerance. Perhaps oral mucosa immunity is not more tolerant or more immune stimulatory but simply differential to skin immunity and supremely adaptable in its response to exogenous insults. In Chapter 2 we describe the most promising organotypic in vitro skin models that are commercially available or being used in a laboratory setting for hazard assessment of potential sensitizers and for investigating the mechanisms behind allergic contact dermatitis.