Antimicrobial Peptides : Roles in Periodontal Health and Disease
Why do cockroaches and rats survive in sewers and other extremely challenging conditions? The answer is that through evolution they have been equipped with antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) that protect them from microbiological insult. In the case of cockroaches and rats, the AMPs are very potent, allowing for these challenging environments [1–3]. AMPs are the most ancient and primitive arm of the hu