The intestinal epithelium balances a multiplicity of roles in early life. It facilitates the digestion and absorption of nutrients and forms a barrier against potential pathogens in the intestinal ...

The intestinal epithelium represents the most regenerative tissue in the human body, located in proximity to the dense and functionally diverse microbial milieu of the microbiome. Episodes of tissue ...

A team of scientists at the Research Institute of the McGill University Health Center (The Institute) has made a landmark discovery that sheds light on how the immune system protects the gut during ...

Scientists have discovered a new protective communication circuit between specialized immune cells in the intestines, a circuit that may be therapeutically targeted to improve inflammatory bowel ...

After every meal, the intestines perform an action called peristalsis—moving food through their hollow interiors with coordinated contractions and relaxations of the smooth muscle. For more than a ...

Through a collaboration between Cornell and the State University of Binghamton in February, scientists found that food grade nanoparticles may potentially have detrimental effects on the function and ...

The colon is part of the digestive system. It helps the body absorb water and nutrients from food before excreting the waste. It is made up of muscle and located just below the stomach. People ...

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 mesentery is an organ that attaches all the digestive organs in the abdomen. It connects much of the intestines to the back abdominal wall, holding them in place when a person stands upright. The ...