Changes in Mucosal Immunity

Mucosal immunity provides resistance to infections; resistance to some infections better correlates with the amount of antibodies in external secretions than with serum antibody titers.

The mucosal immune network is structurally and functionally different from the rest of the immune system. Animal studies show that mucosal immunity is preserved with age. However, in humans, aging seems to compromise mucosal immunity to the same extent as it does systemic immunity; the initiation and the regulation of local antibody production are defective.