Mammals coexist with an extremely dense microbiota in the lower intestine. Despite the constant challenge of small numbers of microbes penetrating the intestinal surface epithelium, it is very unusual for these organisms to cause disease. In this review article, we present the different mucosal firewalls that contain and allow mutualism with the intestinal microbiota.
Andrew J Macpherson, Emma Slack, Markus B Geuking, and Kathy D McCoy.
DKF, Maurice Müller Laboratories, Department of Visceral Surgery and Medicine, University of Bern, Room G801, Bern, Switzerland. andrew.macpherson@insel.ch
Semin Immunopathol. 2009 Jul 1;31(2):145-9.
AbstractMammals coexist with an extremely dense microbiota in the lower intestine. Despite the constant challenge of small numbers of microbes penetrating the intestinal surface epithelium, it is very unusual for these organisms to cause disease. In this review article, we present the different mucosal firewalls that contain and allow mutualism with the intestinal microbiota.