Journal Article Review Epublish
PubMed: 40426880 DOI: 10.3390/biomedicines13051052
Mucosal Immunity: Lessons from the Lower Respiratory and Small Intestinal Epithelia.
Biomedicines 13(5)
Authors: Kayle B Dickson, Andrew W Stadnyk, Juan Zhou, Christian Lehmann
Affiliations
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS B3H 4R2, Canada.
- Department of Pediatrics, Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS B3H 4R2, Canada.
- Department of Anesthesiology, Pain Management and Perioperative Medicine, Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS B3H 4R2, Canada.
- Department of Pharmacology, Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS B3H 4R2, Canada.
- Department of Physiology and Biophysics, Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS B3H 4R2, Canada.
Abstract
Mucosal epithelia represent a diverse group of tissues that function as a barrier against the external environment and exert a wide variety of tissue-specific secondary functions. This review focuses on the lower respiratory tract and small intestinal epithelia, which serve as two distinct sites within the body with respect to their physiological functions. This review provides an overview of their physiology, including both physiological and mechanical defense systems, and their immune responses, which allow both tissues to tolerate commensal organisms while mounting a response against potential pathogens. By highlighting the commonalities and differences across the two tissue types, opportunities to learn from these tissues emerge, which can inform the development of novel therapeutic strategies that harness the unique properties of mucosal epithelia.
MeSH
Immunity, Mucosal, Immunity, Tissues