An intercrypt subpopulation of goblet cells is essential for colonic mucus barrier function

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  • Elisabeth E. L. Nyström
    Department of Medical Biochemistry, Institute of Biomedicine, University of Gothenburg, 40530 Gothenburg, Sweden.
  • Beatriz Martinez-Abad
    Department of Medical Biochemistry, Institute of Biomedicine, University of Gothenburg, 40530 Gothenburg, Sweden.
  • Liisa Arike
    Department of Medical Biochemistry, Institute of Biomedicine, University of Gothenburg, 40530 Gothenburg, Sweden.
  • George M. H. Birchenough
    Department of Medical Biochemistry, Institute of Biomedicine, University of Gothenburg, 40530 Gothenburg, Sweden.
  • Eric B. Nonnecke
    Department of Microbiology and Immunology, School of Medicine, University of California, Davis, CA 95616, USA.
  • Patricia A. Castillo
    Department of Microbiology and Immunology, School of Medicine, University of California, Davis, CA 95616, USA.
  • Frida Svensson
    Department of Medical Biochemistry, Institute of Biomedicine, University of Gothenburg, 40530 Gothenburg, Sweden.
  • Charles L. Bevins
    Department of Microbiology and Immunology, School of Medicine, University of California, Davis, CA 95616, USA.
  • Gunnar C. Hansson
    Department of Medical Biochemistry, Institute of Biomedicine, University of Gothenburg, 40530 Gothenburg, Sweden.
  • Malin E. V. Johansson
    Department of Medical Biochemistry, Institute of Biomedicine, University of Gothenburg, 40530 Gothenburg, Sweden.

Description

<jats:title>Goblet cell diversity</jats:title> <jats:p> An adult human has a gut surface area averaging 30 square meters that is bombarded daily by xenobiotics and microorganisms. Mucus synthesized by goblet cells supplies a protective barrier coating. Nyström <jats:italic>et al.</jats:italic> discovered that goblet cells are not all the same along the length of the gut; rather, they form different functional populations depending on location. Small-intestine mucus is laced with antimicrobial peptides and is permeable to small molecules; downstream, thicker mucus is generated that excludes bacteria and xenobiotics. Mucus oozes in thick plumes from goblet cells within the crypts to shield the stem cell niche. Between the crypts lie highly differentiated goblet cells producing permeable mucus. Together, both types of mucus form a network that shelters the gut epithelium. If, however, the intercrypt goblet cells become dysfunctional, the exposed epithelium is exposed to bacteria and vulnerable to developing colitis. </jats:p> <jats:p> <jats:italic>Science</jats:italic> , this issue p. <jats:related-article xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink" ext-link-type="doi" related-article-type="in-this-issue" xlink:href="10.1126/science.abb1590">eabb1590</jats:related-article> </jats:p>

Journal

  • Science

    Science 372 (6539), 2021-04-16

    American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS)

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