ABSTRACT
The human immune system can be divided into two functional entities: the innate and the adaptive immune systems. The innate immune system appeared early in evolution prior to the time that plants and animals took separate paths, but the basic mechanisms of pathogen recognition and activation of the innate immune response are conserved throughout the evolution of plants and animals including humans [1]. Innate immunity is the rst line of defense against infectious microorganisms in humans and relies on germ line-encoded pattern recognition receptors (PRRs) to recognize pathogen-derived substances [1]. Activation of the innate immune system through these receptors leads to the expression of a vast array of antimicrobial effector molecules that attack microorganisms at many different levels.
