The comparative immunology of wild and laboratory mice, Mus musculus domesticus

• DOI: 10.1038/ncomms14811
• Publication Date: 2017-05-03T09:46:45Z
• Authors: Stephen Abolins; Elizabeth C. King; Luke Lazarou; Laura Weldon; Louise Hughes; Paul Drescher; John G. Raynes; Julius C. R. Hafalla; Mark E. Viney; Eleanor M. Riley
• Keywords: Laboratory mouse

Abstract The laboratory mouse is the workhorse of immunology, used as a model mammalian immune function, but how well responses mice reflect those free-living animals unknown. Here we comprehensively characterize serological, cellular and functional parameters wild compare them with mice, finding that systems are, comparatively, in highly activated (primed) state. Associations between infection suggest high level pathogen exposure drives this activation. Moreover, have population myeloid cells not present mice. By contrast, vitro cytokine to pathogen-associated ligands are generally lower from probably reflecting importance maintaining homeostasis face intense antigenic challenge wild. These data provide comprehensive basis for validating (or not) useful relevant immunological system.