Gut Protection
As you start to eat a delicious meal, your gut senses the oncoming rush of food and kicks into action. Like a lifeguard overseeing children at the pool, your gut plays a protective role, scanning the situation for dangers. A new study has revealed that the its protective mechanisms – a series of chemical reactions that lead to the immune system ramping up – kick into gear when we eat. Nerves in the intestine (red in the intestine pictured) release a hormone called VIP (green), which activates immune cells (blue) in preparation for any unwanted invaders that might slip in with the food. The research also found that the protective immunity is increased at regular mealtimes, highlighting the importance of regular eating patterns to health. Learning how the gut naturally protects us might help improve strategies for people with chronic inflammation conditions, such as irritable bowel syndrome and Crohn’s disease.
Written by Anthony Lewis
Video from work by Cyril Seillet, Kylie Luong and Julie Tellier, and colleagues, The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research
The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
Video copyright held by the original authors
Research published in Nature Immunology, February 2020
You can also follow BPoD on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook
