title: Insight into Crohn's disease pathomorphology.
abstract: Crohn's disease (CD) belongs together with ulcerative colitis to the two major forms of inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD). Although its etiology remains poorly understood, several genetic and immune factors and cells (especially T cells) have been shown to be involved in the pathogenesis of IBD. Among these factors, proinflammatory T cells and their secreted cytokines seem to be the main effectors in induction and perpetuation of the intestinal inflammation. Beside the local inflammatory effect, there is a very clear defined mechanism where T cells and inflammatory complexes migrate and induce extraintestinal manifestation and complications. This article reviews current knowledge of the pathomorphology of mucosal inflammation in CD focusing especially on the immune mechanisms of T-cell homing, extraintestinal manifestations and fibrogenesis.
authors.affiliation: Medical Clinic 1, University of Erlangen-Nuremberg, Ulmenweg 18, 91054 Erlangen, Germany. jonas.mudter@uk-erlangen.de
authors.forename: Jonas
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Mudter
authors.forename: Markus F
authors.initials: MF
authors.lastname: Neurath
mesh_terms: D056704:Adaptive Immunity / Q000502:physiology; D003424:Crohn Disease / Q000150:complications / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology*; D005355:Fibrosis; D006801:Humans; D007113:Immunity, Innate / Q000502:physiology; D007413:Intestinal Mucosa / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology*; D009092:Mucous Membrane / Q000276:immunology; D016201:Receptors, Lymphocyte Homing / Q000276:immunology*; D016176:T-Lymphocyte Subsets / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D016201:Receptors, Lymphocyte Homing