Zonulin, a regulator of epithelial and endothelial barrier functions, and its involvement in chronic inflammatory diseases

• Published in: Tissue barriers Vol. 4; no. 4; p. e1251384
• Main Authors: Sturgeon, Craig, Fasano, Alessio
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Taylor & Francis 01.10.2016
• Subjects: Animals; autoimmune disease; Autoimmune Diseases - blood; Autoimmune Diseases - etiology; barrier function; Cholera Toxin - blood; Cholera Toxin - toxicity; Endothelial Cells - drug effects; Endothelial Cells - metabolism; Humans; Inflammatory Bowel Diseases - blood; Inflammatory Bowel Diseases - etiology; Intestinal Mucosa - drug effects; Intestinal Mucosa - metabolism; intestinal permeability; Reviews; tight junctions; Tight Junctions - drug effects; Tight Junctions - metabolism; zonulin; intestinal permeability; zonulin; tight junctions; autoimmune disease; barrier function

Beside digesting nutrients and absorbing solutes and electrolytes, the intestinal epithelium with its barrier function is in charge of a tightly controlled antigen trafficking from the intestinal lumen to the submucosa. This trafficking dictates the delicate balance between tolerance and immune resp...