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About the Authors:
Rana Al-Sadi
Contributed equally to this work with: Rana Al-Sadi, Dongmei Ye
Affiliations Department of Internal Medicine, University of New Mexico School of Medicine, Albuquerque, New Mexico, United States of America, Albuquerque Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Albuquerque, New Mexico, United States of America
Dongmei Ye
Contributed equally to this work with: Rana Al-Sadi, Dongmei Ye
Affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, University of New Mexico School of Medicine, Albuquerque, New Mexico, United States of America
Michel Boivin
Affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, University of New Mexico School of Medicine, Albuquerque, New Mexico, United States of America
Shuhong Guo
Affiliations Department of Internal Medicine, University of New Mexico School of Medicine, Albuquerque, New Mexico, United States of America, Albuquerque Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Albuquerque, New Mexico, United States of America
Mariam Hashimi
Affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, University of New Mexico School of Medicine, Albuquerque, New Mexico, United States of America
Lisa Ereifej
Affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, University of New Mexico School of Medicine, Albuquerque, New Mexico, United States of America
Thomas Y. Ma
* E-mail: [email protected]
Affiliations Department of Internal Medicine, University of New Mexico School of Medicine, Albuquerque, New Mexico, United States of America, Albuquerque Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Albuquerque, New Mexico, United States of America
Introduction
Intestinal mucosal surface is covered by a single layer of columnar epithelial cells. The intestinal epithelial cells have important dual function, absorption of nutrients and fluid needed for the survival of the organism and a barrier function to exclude harmful luminal antigens and microorganisms from intestinal penetration [1], [2]. The intestinal epithelial cells and the tight junctions form the intrinsic intestinal epithelial barrier, serving as a physical and functional barrier against trans-epithelial permeation of luminal substances [1], [2]. The unstirred water layer and the mucus layer coating the epithelial cell surface serve as extrinsic chemical barrier against diffusion of lipophilic molecules, and the lipid bi-layer composition of enterocyte plasma membrane provides a diffusion barrier against trans-membrane permeation of hydrophilic molecules [3]. The intercellular tight junctions act as gate or barrier against paracellular permeation of hydrophilic molecules in-between adjacent cells [1], [3]. It is well-established that in intestinal permeability disorders, the defective intestinal TJ barrier allows paracellular permeation of luminal antigens which can initiate or...