38.1 Cellular Plasticity of Gastric Acid Secretion 38.1.1 Organization of Epithelial Cells in the Stomach The stomach is organized by five concentric tissue layers: (1) the mucosal epithelium, lining the lumen of the stomach; (2) a thin layer of smooth…
37.1 Introduction Saliva is produced by salivary glands in a range of animal species and fulfills many different functions. Of particular importance are its roles in nutrition, facilitating the chewing, tasting, digestion, and swallowing of food. Striking dietary related adaptations…
There is a growing appreciation for the importance of gastrointestinal (GI) microbes in human health and disease. However, which microbes are important and how they contribute to human health and disease are only beginning to be understood. In this chapter,…
35.1 Introduction: Microbiota: The Intestine’s Best Frenemy Forever The mammalian intestine is inhabited by a diverse collection of microorganisms collectively referred to as the gut microbiota. While the accuracy of the often-cited estimate that the human gut contains about 100…
34.1 Introduction The gastrointestinal tract harbors the largest population of commensal organisms in the human body, whose homeostasis requires immunoregulatory mechanisms to prevent unnecessary activation of the immune system against antigens generated by environmental exposures including host-associated microbes. The establishment…
Abbreviations DIO diet-induced obesity FFA free fatty acid FOS fructo-oligosaccharides GOS galacto-oligosaccharides HFD high fat diet HMO human milk oligosaccharides LPS lipopolysaccharide PBA primary bile acid RYGB Roux-en-Y gastric bypass SBA secondary bile acid SCFA short-chain fatty acid WD western…
32.1 Introduction The human gut is one of the most diverse and rich ecosystems on Earth. It has been estimated that each person is home to over 100 trillion (10 14 ) bacterial and archaeal cells. This number is impressive…
31.1 Overview Since their discovery > 60 years ago, tuft cells have intrigued and mystified researchers. Early studies focused on the unique morphology of tuft cells and their distribution pattern across mucosal surfaces, but their function remained unknown. The last…
30.1 Duodenal Chemosensing Patterns and Mucosal Defense Factors The identification of luminal chemosensors in the gastrointestinal (GI) tract has emerged in part from the de-orphanization and characterization of nutrient-sensing G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) in the most recent decade. Since luminal…
29.1 What Is Restitution? The epithelial lining of the mammalian small intestine and colon is a rapidly renewing population forming a single-cell barrier along the entire length of the lower gastrointestinal (GI) tract. Ulcerated wounds in the epithelium are typically…