Topic Highlight
Copyright ©2014 Baishideng Publishing Group Co., Limited. All rights reserved.
World J Gastroenterol. Feb 7, 2014; 20(5): 1165-1179
Published online Feb 7, 2014. doi: 10.3748/wjg.v20.i5.1165
Intestinal barrier in inflammatory bowel disease
Lena Antoni, Sabine Nuding, Jan Wehkamp, Eduard F Stange
Lena Antoni, Sabine Nuding, Jan Wehkamp, Dr. Margarete Fischer-Bosch-Institute of Clinical Pharmacology Stuttgart, University of Tübingen, D-70376 Stuttgart, Germany
Jan Wehkamp, Eduard F Stange, Department of Internal Medicine I, Robert-Bosch-Hospital, D-70376 Stuttgart, Germany
Author contributions: Antoni L, Nuding S and Stange EF wrote the paper; Wehkamp J critically reviewed the manuscript.
Supported by Robert Bosch Foundation, Stuttgart, Germany
Correspondence to: Eduard F Stange, MD, Department of Internal Medicine I, Robert-Bosch-Hospital, Auerbachstr 110, D-70376 Stuttgart, Germany. eduard.stange@rbk.de
Telephone: +49-711-81013406 Fax: +49-711-81013793
Received: September 27, 2013
Revised: November 8, 2013
Accepted: December 12, 2013
Published online: February 7, 2014
Processing time: 145 Days and 23.8 Hours
Core Tip

Core tip: An efficient intestinal mucosal barrier is critical for protection against invading microorganisms, therefore impairments in this system have serious adverse effects on health. In patients suffering from the inflammatory bowel diseases Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis, the intestinal barrier function is compromised at different levels including, amongst others, a defective production of antimicrobial peptides, alterations of the mucus layer and defects in the process of autophagy. In this article, we outline important components of the healthy intestinal mucosal barrier and review their disturbances in inflammatory bowel disease.