Salivary glands as organs of immunity: New research makes oral immunization easier to swallow
Thursday, February 10, 2011 - 10:00
in Health & Medicine
If you don't like shots or needles, you're in luck. New research published online in The FASEB Journal gives the development of new oral vaccinations a shot in the arm thanks to discoveries involving the salivary glands of mice. In addition, this research report also offers a tantalizing glimpse of vaccines that could prevent infection at mucosal surfaces, even if direct injections into the body fail to cause immunity. This technique may be effective for a wide range of diseases from influenza to cholera.