Biological Roles of β-Glucans in Invertebrates

Our knowledge of β-glucan effects on invertebrate immunity is still limited. However, more attention is being focused due to the ongoing importance of invertebrate farming for agricultural and nutritional exploitation. Aquacultures of shrimp and shellfish represent an important source of human nutrition and unprecedented growth of aquaculture production in the past decade has caused an increased demand in the prevention of infectious diseases among farmed animals. As a result, new ways to improve the resistance and treatment of diseases are being researched.

Keywords: Invertebrates, glucan, cell wall, cancer, infection, MRM, shrimp, fish, farming, aquaculture, lectins, bacteria, immunity, infection, nutrition, prevention, hemolymph, molecule, defense, evolution.