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Antimicrobial Peptides: Maintaining Sterility of the Urinary Tract

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Antimicrobial Peptides

Part of the book series: Birkhäuser Advances in Infectious Diseases ((BAID))

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Abstract

Due to its close proximity to the gastrointestinal tract, the normally sterile urinary tract is constantly challenged by microbial invasion. To counter this microbial assault, the urinary tract has developed a highly effective antimicrobial “shield” that can rapidly eliminate invading pathogens or prevent their growth. During recent years, considerable advances have been made in our understanding of the immune mechanisms that contribute to urinary tract sterility. Recent evidence indicates that cationic antimicrobial peptides contribute to the innate host defense of the urinary tract. This chapter reviews the published literature on the role(s) of antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) in maintaining urinary tract sterility.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Pediatrics, Division of Nephrology, Center for Clinical and Translational Research, The Research Institute at Nationwide Children’s, 700 Children’s Drive, Columbus, OH, 43205, USA

    Brian Becknell & John David Spencer

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  1. Brian Becknell
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  2. John David Spencer
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Correspondence to John David Spencer .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Dermatology, University-Hospital Schleswig-Holstein, Campus Kiel, Kiel, Germany

    Jürgen Harder

  2. Department of Dermatology, University-Hospital Schleswig-Holstein, Campus Kiel, Kiel, Germany

    Jens-M. Schröder

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Becknell, B., Spencer, J.D. (2016). Antimicrobial Peptides: Maintaining Sterility of the Urinary Tract. In: Harder, J., Schröder, JM. (eds) Antimicrobial Peptides. Birkhäuser Advances in Infectious Diseases. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-24199-9_4

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