Molecular biology of the gut

Excerpt

The gastrointestinal tract is the largest exposed surface among mammalian macroorganisms. It is constantly exposed to substantial challenges and exerts a potpourri of diverse physiological functions. Among the major intestinal functions is the digestion of nutrients and subsequent uptake and metabolism of their respective building blocks, control of absorption and secretion of water, salts and nutrients, interaction of the mucosal surface with micro-organisms and cross-talk with the submucosa, and communication at the basolateral surface with cells of innate and adaptive immune system. These functions are tightly linked to a large network of protein and lipid components that exert their function at different stages of intestinal development and differentiation of intestinal cells. Obviously, genetic alterations linking these vital networks elicit malfunctions that are associated with severe disease phenotypes. …