The Intestinal Mucus Layer Comes of Age

Trends Immunol. 2016 Jan;37(1):3-4. doi: 10.1016/j.it.2015.12.002. Epub 2015 Dec 19.

Abstract

The mucus layer is critical in limiting contact between host and the complex bacterial consortia that colonize the intestine. A recent paper in Cell Host and Microbe provides comprehensive insight into the dynamics of mucus layer maturation upon bacterial colonization of germ-free (GF) mice that have implications for studies on host-microbe interaction involving colonization of GF mice.

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Germ-Free Life
  • Host-Pathogen Interactions*
  • Humans
  • Infections / immunology*
  • Intestinal Mucosa / immunology*
  • Mice
  • Mice, Knockout
  • Microbiota*
  • Mucin-2 / genetics
  • Mucin-2 / metabolism
  • Mucus / immunology*
  • Mucus / microbiology
  • Pancreatitis-Associated Proteins
  • Proteins / metabolism

Substances

  • Muc2 protein, mouse
  • Mucin-2
  • Pancreatitis-Associated Proteins
  • Proteins
  • Reg3g protein, mouse