Open AccessMucosal mast cells are pivotal elements in inflammatory bowel disease that connect the dots: Stress, intestinal hyperpermeability and inflammation
Author(s) -
Ashkan Farhadi,
Jeremy Z. Fields,
Ali Keshavarzian
Publication year - 2007
Publication title -
world journal of gastroenterology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.427
H-Index - 155
eISSN - 2219-2840
pISSN - 1007-9327
DOI - 10.3748/wjg.v13.i22.3027
Subject(s) - inflammation , proinflammatory cytokine , pathogenesis , immunology , inflammatory bowel disease , medicine , mast cell , intestinal permeability , disease , irritable bowel syndrome , pathology
Mast cells (MC) are pivotal elements in several physiological and immunological functions of the gastro-intestinal (GI) tract. MC translate the stress signals that has been transmitted through brain gut axis into release of proinflammatory mediators that can cause stimulation of nerve endings that could affect afferent nerve terminals and change their perception, affect intestinal motility, increase intestinal hyperpermeability and, in susceptible individuals, modulate the inflammation. Thus, it is not surprising that MC are an important element in the pathogenesis of inflammatory bowel disease and non inflammatory GI disorders such as IBS and mast cell enterocolitis.