title: The role of the intestinal context in the generation of tolerance and inflammation.
abstract: The mucosal surface of the intestine alone forms the largest area exposed to exogenous antigens as well as the largest collection of lymphoid tissue in the body. The enormous amount of nonpathogenic and pathogenic bacteria and food-derived antigens that we are daily exposed sets an interesting challenge to the immune system: a protective immune activity must coexist with efficient regulatory mechanisms in order to maintain a health status of these organisms. This paper discusses how the immune system assimilates the perturbations from the environment without generating tissue damage.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Mucosal Immunology, The Rockefeller University, 1230 York Avenue, New York, NY 10065, USA.
authors.forename: Bernardo Sgarbi
authors.initials: BS
authors.lastname: Reis
authors.forename: Daniel
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Mucida
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D004032:Diet; D006801:Humans; D007108:Immune Tolerance / Q000276:immunology*; D007249:Inflammation / Q000276:immunology*; D007413:Intestinal Mucosa / Q000276:immunology / Q000382:microbiology; D007422:Intestines / Q000276:immunology* / Q000382:microbiology*; D054892:Metagenome / Q000276:immunology; D010581:Peyer's Patches / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism