The terms "intestinal barrier" and "intestinal permeability" describe two different aspects of the same anatomical structure, the intestinal wall composed of four layers, the mucosa, the submucosa, ...

A new study reported in Nature has determined that the amino acid cysteine could promote regeneration among cells in the small intestine. The work showed that cysteine can activate an immune signaling ...

This story is part of a series exploring human anatomy and physiology complexities. Each story in this collection showcases discoveries reshaping our understanding of the body's inner workings, ...

The gut microbiome is an important ecosystem of microbes that lives in each one of us, and its strength affects our overall health. However, the small intestine is an underappreciated part of the gut ...

Researchers found that a small population of immune cells in the mouse intestine prevents allergic responses to food, suggesting that targeting such cells therapeutically could potentially lead to a ...

The US humorist Christopher Morley once described the human body as “an ingenious assembly of portable plumbing”. He wasn’t wrong: from our cardiovascular and lymphatic systems to our guts and urinary ...