Disorders of Malabsorption Box 16.1 lists intestinal malabsorptive disorders by disease category. BOX 16.1 Intestinal Malabsorptive Disorders by Disease Category Autoimmunity Celiac disease Autoimmune enteropathy Hypersensitivity Protein allergy (milk, soy) Eosinophilic gastroenteritis Infection Tropical sprue Bacterial overgrowth/blind loop Other infections…
Historical Perspective In 1947, at the dawn of gastroscopy, Rudolf Schindler deemed gastritis “one of the most debated diseases of the human body” and predicted that its significance would be discussed “for some time to come.” From the mid-1800s, when…
Introduction Inflammatory disorders of the esophagus are extremely common. Among the most common is gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), a chronic condition, affecting as many as 40% of people in the Western world. Because of the ease and frequent use of…
Introduction The conventional approach to teaching about inflammatory disorders of the gastrointestinal (GI) tract is to describe the clinical and histological features of individual disease entities. Unfortunately, rendering a specific diagnosis is not always possible when evaluating mucosal biopsies of…
Introduction Given the plethora of drugs available by prescription and over the counter, and that most are administered orally, it is not surprising that many drugs can cause gastrointestinal (GI) disease. The injury caused by drugs can be due to…
Introduction The gastrointestinal (GI) tract performs energy-demanding functions of digestion and absorption of nutrients while maintaining a critical barrier between the internal milieu and the external (luminal) environment. It also contributes to the activities of the immune system. These functions…
Introduction and General Remarks The aims of this chapter are to review the pathological features of the major intestinal disorders of infancy and early childhood, with an emphasis on congenital disorders resulting in chronic diarrhea and malabsorption, and to illustrate…
Molecular Mechanisms of Gastrointestinal Development Recent advances in our understanding of the molecular controls of gut development have flowed from studies of a number of vertebrate and invertebrate models, including Caenorhabditis elegans (roundworm), sea urchins, Drosophila, zebrafish, and the mouse.…
Introduction Normal bowel motility depends on smooth muscle, interstitial cells of Cajal (ICC), the intrinsic and extrinsic nerve supply and their supporting cells, and various neuroendocrine peptides. Abnormalities in any one or more of these components may result in bowel…
Introduction Systemic illnesses commonly affect the gastrointestinal (GI) tract. GI symptoms and morphological changes can result from several different pathogenetic mechanisms, such as nonspecific or constitutional symptoms, pathological changes common to intestinal and extraintestinal organs, secondary changes such as opportunistic…