Intestinal villous M cells: an antigen entry site in the mucosal epithelium.

ABSTRACT: M cells located in the follicle-associated epithelium of Peyer's patches (PP) are shown to be the principal sites for the sampling of gut luminal antigens. Thus, PP have long been considered the gatekeepers of the mucosal immune system. Here, we report a distinct gateway for the uptake of gut bacteria: clusters of non-follicle-associated epithelium-associated Ulex europaeus agglutinin (UEA)-1(+) cells, which we have designated intestinal villous M cells. Interestingly, villous M cells are developed in various PP [or gut-associated lymphoid tissue (GALT)]-null mice, such as in utero lymphotoxin beta receptor (LTbetaR)-Ig-treated, lymphotoxin alpha (LTalpha)(-/-), tumor necrosis factor/LTalpha(-/-), and inhibition of differentiation 2 (Id2)(-/-) mice. Intestinal villous M cells have been obs

SUBMITTER: Jang MH 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC395931 | biostudies-literature | 2004 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature