The intestine is a prime example of self-renewal where stem cells give rise to progenitor cells called transit-amplifying cells which differentiate into more specialized cells. There are two intestinal lineages: the absorptive (enterocytes and microfold cells) and the secretory (Paneth cells, enteroendocrine, goblet cells, and tuft cells). Each of these differentiated cell types has a role in creating an "ecosystem" to maintain intestinal homeostasis. Here, we summarize the main roles of each cell type.
Keywords: Colon; Differentiation; Enterocytes; Enteroendocrine cells; Goblet cells; Intestine; Microfold cells; Paneth cells; Tuft cells.
© 2023. The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature.