Epithelium, tear down this wall!
The presence of bacteria within epithelial-lined compartments, such as the lung, elicits rapid recruitment of innate immune cells. In this issue of Cell Host & Microbe, Chun and Prince (2009) report that epithelial cells facilitate this process by reorganizing their intercellular junctions to enhance immune cell transmigration.
Nalle
Sam C
SC
Department of Pathology, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60637, USA.
Turner
Jerrold R
JR
D000818:Animals; D001419:Bacteria / Q000276:immunology*; D004848:Epithelium / Q000276:immunology* / Q000382:microbiology*; D006801:Humans; D007365:Intercellular Junctions / Q000502:physiology*