title: Intrinsic Defense Mechanisms of the Intestinal Epithelium.
abstract: The intestinal epithelium is a single cell layer that facilitates the absorption of nutrients but also provides a tight barrier to prevent pathogen invasion and dissemination of commensal microbes. Specialized epithelial cells of the gastrointestinal tract achieve this frontline defense by working in concert with lymphoid, myeloid, and stromal cells to secrete an array of factors that limit direct contact between the epithelium and infectious agents. The importance of these mechanisms is underscored by the ability of enteric pathogens to target these mechanisms to achieve invasion and dissemination. This review highlights recent advances in our understanding of these intricate molecular and cellular mechanisms adopted by these cells to promote spatial segregation and barrier maintenance.
authors.affiliation: Kimmel Center for Biology and Medicine at the Skirball Institute, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY 10016, USA; Sackler Institute of Graduate Biomedical Sciences, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY 10016, USA.
authors.forename: Deepshika
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Ramanan
authors.affiliation: Kimmel Center for Biology and Medicine at the Skirball Institute, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY 10016, USA; Department of Microbiology, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY 10016, USA. Electronic address: ken.cadwell@med.nyu.edu.
authors.forename: Ken
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Cadwell
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D041981:Gastrointestinal Tract / Q000276:immunology / Q000382:microbiology; D006801:Humans; D007413:Intestinal Mucosa / Q000276:immunology* / Q000382:microbiology; D011506:Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D011506:Proteins