The Role of the Intestinal Context in the Generation of Tolerance and Inflammation
2012
The Role of the Intestinal Context in Tolerance and Inflammation
publication
Author Information
Author(s): B. S. Reis, D. Mucida
Primary Institution: The Rockefeller University
Hypothesis
How does the immune system associated with the intestine influence and assimilate the perturbations from the environment without generating pathology?
Conclusion
The study highlights the complex interactions between the immune system and environmental factors in maintaining intestinal health.
Supporting Evidence
- The intestinal mucosa is the largest area of the body in direct contact with the exterior environment.
- More than 100 trillion microbial cells colonize the human gut, which amounts to ten bacteria for every one human cell.
- Commensal bacteria can influence the immune system and are linked to inflammatory bowel diseases.
Takeaway
Our intestines are like a big playground for good and bad germs, and our immune system has to learn to play nice with the good ones while keeping the bad ones away.
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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