ABSTRACT
This chapter focuses on the mechanisms of the processes, which have profound implications for understanding the biological basis of many inflammatory disorders associated with the mucosal surfaces and for the development of vaccines and other types of therapies. Immunologic tolerance has been a subject of fascination and study for as long as the immune system has been known. Mucosal tolerance is a complex process that shows both important differences and similarities among mucosal tissues and types of antigens. Mucosal tolerance can inhibit a wide variety of immune responses, but the major commonality among these different immune responses is the T cell. Most models involving mucosal immunization of a known autoantigen are followed by parenteral immunization with the same antigen. Not only can mucosal tolerance be elicited against orally administered autoantigens in the treatment of experimental models of autoimmunity, such tolerance also can be elicited to other types of antigens associated with immune-mediated inflammation.
