Innate barriers against skin infection and associated disorders

The innate immune system not only is primarily responsible for the prevention of infection of the skin by pathogens, but also is important in the control of inflammation. The components of innate immunity are frequently misunderstood based on a historical bias for leukocyte-mediated immune defense. Many participating cell types are often overlooked, particularly epithelial cells that provide an early and crucial step to innate immune defense. This review will discuss our epithelial barrier to infection, emphasizing how certain bacterial pathogens subvert this system, and human skin diseases associated with these events.

Section editor:Michael Roberts – School of Medicine, University of Queensland, Australia