AUTHOR=Colombo Bruno M. , Scalvenzi Thibault , Benlamara Sarah , Pollet Nicolas 

TITLE=Microbiota and Mucosal Immunity in Amphibians

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Immunology

VOLUME=6

YEAR=2015

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/immunology/articles/10.3389/fimmu.2015.00111

DOI=10.3389/fimmu.2015.00111

ISSN=1664-3224

ABSTRACT=<p>We know that animals live in a world dominated by bacteria. In the last 20 years, we have learned that microbes are essential regulators of mucosal immunity. Bacteria, archeas, and viruses influence different aspects of mucosal development and function. Yet, the literature mainly covers findings obtained in mammals. In this review, we focus on two major themes that emerge from the comparative analysis of mammals and amphibians. These themes concern: (i) the structure and functions of lymphoid organs and immune cells in amphibians, with a focus on the gut mucosal immune system; and (ii) the characteristics of the amphibian microbiota and its influence on mucosal immunity. Lastly, we propose to use <italic>Xenopus</italic> tadpoles as an alternative small-animal model to improve the fundamental knowledge on immunological functions of gut microbiota.</p>