Inducible lymphoid tissues in the adult gut: recapitulation of a fetal developmental pathway?
Nat Rev Immunol 2005;
5:413-20. [PMID:
15841100 DOI:
10.1038/nri1600]
[Citation(s) in RCA: 106] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
The intestinal immune system faces an extraordinary challenge from the large numbers of commensal bacteria and potential pathogens that are restrained by only a single layer of epithelial cells. Here, I discuss evidence that the intestinal immune system develops an extensive network of inducible, reversible lymphoid tissues that contributes to the vital equilibrium between the gut and the bacterial flora. I propose that this network is induced by cryptopatches, which are small clusters of dendritic cells and lymphoid cells that are identical to fetal inducers of lymph-node and Peyer's-patch development.
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