Intestinal epithelial cells: regulators of barrier function and immune homeostasis

LW Peterson, D Artis - Nature reviews immunology, 2014 - nature.com
LW Peterson, D Artis
Nature reviews immunology, 2014nature.com
The abundance of innate and adaptive immune cells that reside together with trillions of
beneficial commensal microorganisms in the mammalian gastrointestinal tract requires
barrier and regulatory mechanisms that conserve host–microbial interactions and tissue
homeostasis. This homeostasis depends on the diverse functions of intestinal epithelial cells
(IECs), which include the physical segregation of commensal bacteria and the integration of
microbial signals. Hence, IECs are crucial mediators of intestinal homeostasis that enable …
Abstract
The abundance of innate and adaptive immune cells that reside together with trillions of beneficial commensal microorganisms in the mammalian gastrointestinal tract requires barrier and regulatory mechanisms that conserve host–microbial interactions and tissue homeostasis. This homeostasis depends on the diverse functions of intestinal epithelial cells (IECs), which include the physical segregation of commensal bacteria and the integration of microbial signals. Hence, IECs are crucial mediators of intestinal homeostasis that enable the establishment of an immunological environment permissive to colonization by commensal bacteria. In this Review, we provide a comprehensive overview of how IECs maintain host–commensal microbial relationships and immune cell homeostasis in the intestine.
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