The mucosal immunity in crustaceans: Inferences from other species.

ABSTRACT

Crustaceans such as shrimps and crabs, hold significant ecological significance and substantial economic value within marine ecosystems. However, their susceptibility to disease outbreaks and pathogenic infections has posed major challenges to production in recent decades. As invertebrate, crustaceans primarily rely on their innate immune system for defense, lacking the adaptive immune system found in vertebrates. Mucosal immunity, acting as the frontline defense against a myriad of pathogenic microorganisms, is a crucial aspect of their immune repertoire. This review synthesizes insights from comparative immunology, highlighting parallels between mucosal immunity in vertebrates and innate immune mechanisms in invertebrates. Despite lacking classical adaptive immunity, invertebrates, including crustaceans, exhibit immune memory and rely on inherent "innate immunity factors" to combat invading pathogens. Drawing on parallels from mammalian and piscine systems, this paper meticulously explores the complex role of mucosal immunity in regulating immune responses in crustaceans. Through the extrapolation from well-studied models like mammals and fish, this review infers the potential mechanisms of mucosal immunity in crustaceans and provides insights for research on mucosal immunity in crustaceans.