The intestinal epithelium is a single-cell layer that constitutes the largest and most important
barrier against the external environment. It acts as a selectively permeable barrier,
permitting the absorption of nutrients, electrolytes, and water while maintaining an effective
defense against intraluminal toxins, antigens, and enteric flora. The epithelium maintains its
selective barrier function through the formation of complex protein-protein networks that
mechanically link adjacent cells and seal the intercellular space. The protein networks …