Intestinal Mucus Barrier: From Basic Research to Clinical Practice / 胃肠病学

ABSTRACT

Intestinal mucus barrier is a gel network composed of mucin, water and antimicrobial peptides. It is the first line defense of host against intestinal pathogens, and is also important for the survival and proliferation of symbiotic bacteria. Mucins are mainly synthesized and secreted by goblet cells of intestine, forming different structures in different intestinal segments. Nowadays more and more studies have shown that the mucus barrier is not only closely related to intestinal infection, inflammatory bowel disease, intestinal tumor and other intestinal diseases, but also involved in the occurrence and development of some extraintestinal diseases, such as acute pancreatitis, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, which may become a new target for the treatment of various related diseases in the future.