Gastro intestinal hyperpermeability: a review.
OBJECTIVE
To present a wide overview of the recent developments in the understanding of the aetiopathogenesis of gastrointestinal hyperpermeability.


METHODS
Medline, from 1985, was sourced for relevant articles. Review articles were included in order to minimise the number of references in the reference list.


METHODS
Results from experiments and observations on humans and other mammalian species were studied.


RESULTS
The major mechanisms elucidated in the aetiopathogenesis of the gastrointestinal hyperpermeability were integrated and consolidated into a flow diagram and the major factors responsible for normal permeability presented for comparison.


CONCLUSIONS
The occurrence of increased gastrointestinal hyperpermeability is probably vastly underestimated. In addition to the hyperpermeability commonly associated with chronic gastro intestinal disorders, an increase in gastrointestinal permeability may occur in any condition of metabolic depletion, enterocyte ATP-depletion, stimulation of gastrointestinal pro-inflammatory cytokine production and disturbances of the normal gastrointestinal flora as with prolonged use of antibiotics.
Viljoen
M
M
Department of Physiology, University of Pretoria, P.O. Box 2034 Pretoria 0001, South Africa.
Panzer
A
A
Willemse
N
N
D000465:Algorithms; D000818:Animals; D002463:Cell Membrane Permeability; D003424:Crohn Disease / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy; D005767:Gastrointestinal Diseases / Q000209:etiology* / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy; D006801:Humans; D015212:Inflammatory Bowel Diseases / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy; D007408:Intestinal Absorption / Q000502:physiology