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. Author manuscript; available in PMC: 2020 Jul 1.
Published in final edited form as: J Leukoc Biol. 2019 Feb 18;106(1):193–200. doi: 10.1002/JLB.4MIR1118-439R

Figure 1:

Figure 1:

Immunity at oral mucosal surfaces. Mucosal surfaces such as the tongue and periodontium are sites of rich immune networks due to the constant presence of a diverse microbiome. Tongue epithelium is colonized with normally commensal organisms including the dimorphic fungi Candida albicans. If overgrowth persists in a susceptible host, hyphae can invade the epithelium and the host normally mounts an effective cellular immune response through release of DAMPs. In health, the periodontium tissue surrounding the tooth and associated gingival crevice is in homeostatic balance while dysbiosis of the bacterial community drives destructive cellular inflammation with activation of DAMP signaling. DAMP production through matrix degradation and cellular damage can help to enhance inflammation and promote characteristic tissue destruction of periodontal disease.