General Characteristics of Human Neonate Immunity

Neonatal immune system inherits its immunosuppressive features derived from the mutual negotiation of immune status between fetus and mother during pregnancy. In the same time, an active immune arm has to be quickly established in newborns in the context of growing maturation to combat various threats that never existed in the intrauterine environment. These seemingly contradictive functional requirements build the unique characteristics of neonate immunity with regard to its cell components of both innate and adaptive system, immune polarity of cytokines, responsiveness to pathogens, relation to genetic factors, as well as the propensity of allergy. This review summarizes these factors and the characteristics of human neonate immunity, a defenses system in development yet very critical for newborns’ health and survival.