Future role of micronutrients on immune functions.

The future is bright in the field of micronutrients and immunity. New advances in technology now permit the design of many new research studies, and an increased application of the findings to clinical and public health practices. More investigators will need to be trained in the fundamentals of both nutritional and immunological sciences. More basic information will be needed in both fields, but the scientific and clinical values of merging these two fields are already well established. The development of additional animal models will be needed to dissect out the role of each essential micronutrient and its potential importance in each step of the immune response. Based on future studies, new RDAs must be formulated and applied widely in medical and public health practices and in public education.