Events at the host-microbial interface of the gastrointestinal tract. II. Role of the intestinal epithelium in pathogen-induced inflammation.

An immense number of bacteria reside within the intestinal lumen. The task of appropriately identifying and responding to microbial threats lies primarily with the single layer of cells that line the intestinal tract. Intestinal epithelial cells have developed a number of strategies aimed at identifying microorganisms and eliciting the appropriate inflammatory response. The pathogen recognition mechanisms and the signaling and inflammatory events that ensue within the intestine are the focus of this review.