Journal
SCANDINAVIAN JOURNAL OF GASTROENTEROLOGY
Volume 52, Issue 11, Pages 1185-1193Publisher
TAYLOR & FRANCIS LTD
DOI: 10.1080/00365521.2017.1349173
Keywords
Epithelial barrier; lamina propria; GALT; mucosal immunity; mucosal tolerance; immune homeostasis; gut microbiota
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The gastrointestinal tract (GI tract) is a unique organ inhabited by a range of commensal microbes, while also being exposed to an overwhelming load of antigens in the form of dietary antigens on a daily basis. The GI tract has dual roles in the body, in that it performs digestion and uptake of nutrients while also carrying out the complex and important task of maintaining immune homeostasis, i.e., keeping the balance between the good and the bad. It is equally important that we protect ourselves from reacting against the good, meaning that we stay tolerant to harmless food, commensal bacteria and self-antigens, as well as react with force against the bad, meaning induction of immune responses against harmful microorganisms. This complex task is achieved through the presence of a highly efficient mucosal barrier and a specialized multifaceted immune system, made up of a large population of scattered immune cells and organized lymphoid tissues termed the gut-associated lymphoid tissue (GALT). This review provides an overview of the primary components of the human mucosal immune system and how the immune responses in the GI tract are coordinated and induced.
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