Mucosal barriology: The molecular machinery and physiological significance of multiple epithelial barriers

Barriology" is newly emerging research field initially defined by The Late Prof. Shoichiro Tsukita as the science of barriers in multicellular organisms.The mucosal surface of the gastrointestinal tract is continuously exposed to a wide variety of foreign antigens.The intestinal mucosa is covered by a single layer of intestinal epithelial cells (IECs), which establish the first line of defense against these diverse microorganisms on the luminal surface.Compromised integrity of the IEC layer leads to the development of intestinal inflammation and systemic diseases.Recent studies have demonstrated the active contribution of commensal bacteria and their metabolites in the enhancement of epithelial barrier functions.In this review, we discuss the mechanisms by which the function of the barrier is being regulated and physiological significance of epithelial barriers in the gastrointestinal tract.Rec.9/26/2014, Acc.