ANIMAL ANTIMICROBIAL PEPTIDES AS MOLECULAR FACTORS OF THE IMMUNITY
This review outlines the modern concept of antimicrobial peptides as molecular immunity factors of human and animals. On the basis of own and literature data the conception that antimicrobial peptides of phagocytes and epithelia (defensins, cathelicidins etc.) are selected in the evolution as the molecules responsible for the inactivation of bacteria is proving. In addition, antimicrobial peptides are also involved in the regulation of defense-adaptive reactions of the organism during infection, stress and exposure to adverse environmental factors both directly through chemotactic activitiy and the ability of mast cells degranulation and indirectly, manifesting corticostatic and immunoprotective activities.