Gut-organ axes in health and disease (R-11088)

The gastrointestinal (GI) tract comprises a massive surface area that forms the boundary between the external environment and the tightly regulated internal milieu. A collection of different cell types associated with the GI mucosa ensures efficient digestive function by allowing the absorption of nutrients, water and electrolytes, but at the same time, forms a vital barrier discriminating between beneficial and harmful substances present in the gut lumen, including the microflora. Functionally, the gastrointestinal barrier, is composed of the mucus layer, the gut microbiome, the epithelium and the mucosal immune system, and is regulated by both intrinsic and extrinsic neural circuits. In physiological conditions, this barrier function is well balanced between immunological tolerance and inflammatory states. Organic gastrointestinal pathologies such as Helicobacter-related gastric diseases, inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), coeliac disease and intestinal ischemia caused by, for example, intense exercise and heat stress, but also functional gastrointestinal disorders (FGIDs) are associated with impaired gut barrier function. Substantial evidence indicates that a compromised barrier is also present in pathologies that affect other organs such as the liver and kidneys, via so-called gut-organ axes.

Keywords:immunology and inflammation, metabolism, neurogastroenterology

Disciplines:Neurophysiology