Bi8250 Developmental and Comparative Immunology

Faculty of Science
Spring 2025
Extent and Intensity
2/0/0. 2 credit(s) (plus extra credits for completion). Type of Completion: zk (examination).
Teacher(s)
doc. RNDr. Pavel Hyršl, Ph.D. (lecturer)
Guaranteed by
doc. RNDr. Pavel Hyršl, Ph.D.
Department of Experimental Biology – Biology Section – Faculty of Science
Contact Person: doc. RNDr. Pavel Hyršl, Ph.D.
Supplier department: Department of Experimental Biology – Biology Section – Faculty of Science
Prerequisites (in Czech)
Bi5220 Immunology
Course Enrolment Limitations
The course is also offered to the students of the fields other than those the course is directly associated with.
fields of study / plans the course is directly associated with
Course objectives
The aim of this course is to introduce the evolution of animal immune system and to describe the differences between systematic groups, mostly between invertebrates and vertebrates. Highlighted is comparison of animal immune mechanisms with human immune system.
Learning outcomes
At the end of this course, students should be able to: understand and be able to explain differences in immune system between main animal groups; compare immune system of invertebrates and vertebrates; interpret scientific articles about invertebrate and vertebrate immunology; determine differences in human immune system in contrast to other mammals;
Syllabus
  • 1. Introduction, defence mechanisms of organisms
  • 2. Invertebrate immunology - evolutionary diagram of immune reactions
  • 3. Porifera and Cnidaria (Diblastistica), Nemathelmintes, Nemertea
  • 4. Sipunculida, Annelida, Mollusca
  • 5. Antennata (mainly Insecta)
  • 6. Urochordata, Echinodermata, Cephalochordata
  • 7. Vertebrate immunology evolutionary diagram of immune reactions
  • 8. Fish (Pisces) immunity
  • 9. Amphibian (Amphibia) immunity
  • 10. Reptiles (Reptilia) immunity
  • 11. Birds (Aves) immunity
  • 12. Comparison with mammals immune system
Literature
  • Comparative immunology. info
  • Turner R. J.: Immunology: A Comparative Approach, John Wiley & Sons Inc. 1994.
  • BECKAGE, N. E. Insect immunology. 1st ed. Amsterdam: Elsevier, 2008, 348 s. ISBN 9780123739766. info
  • CRUSE, Julius M. and Robert Edwin LEWIS. Illustrated dictionary of immunology. Boca Raton: CRC Press, 1994, 327 s.,6. ISBN 084934557X. info
Teaching methods
lectures, 2x per semester class discussion - students should study in advance english literature, study materials available on IS
Assessment methods
Credits are granted for active participation at the class discussions and final oral exam. Attendance of the lectures is not mandatory but strongly recommended for fluent understanding of the educated subjects. During oral exam students must explain the chosen topic from past lectures and be able to explain its connection with other immunology subjects. Evaluation by the teacher, 50% of correct answers is needed to pass.
Language of instruction
Czech
Further comments (probably available only in Czech)
The course is taught annually.
The course is taught: every week.
Information on course enrolment limitations: Na předmět se vztahuje povinnost registrace, bez registrace může být znemožněn zápis předmětu!
Teacher's information
Lectures will link to the course of immunology, which is based on general principles if immune responses with emphasis on human immune system mainly. Lectures from developmental and comparative immunology will be foccused on evolution, anatomy and function of invertebtate and vertebrate immune system (except mammals). All parameters will be compared with mammals immune system, the emphasis will be on differencies and specifics between these systems. Each group of animals developed several effective immune responses, which are based on non-self recognition mainly (innate immunity) and by evolutionary more developed animals by immunological memmory (adaptive immunity). Lectures will start by general overview of immune reactions and will follow with Porifera (Sponges), where we can firstly use the term immunity (graft rejection). In the rest of lectures will be discussed evolutionary higher organisms till Mammalia (Mammals).
The course is also listed under the following terms Spring 2008 - for the purpose of the accreditation, Spring 2011 - only for the accreditation, Spring 2006, Spring 2007, Spring 2008, Spring 2009, Spring 2010, Spring 2011, Spring 2012, spring 2012 - acreditation, Spring 2013, Spring 2014, Spring 2015, Spring 2016, Spring 2017, spring 2018, Spring 2019, Spring 2020, Spring 2021, Spring 2022, Spring 2023, Spring 2024.
  • Enrolment Statistics (Spring 2025, recent)
  • Permalink: https://is.muni.cz/course/sci/spring2025/Bi8250