The Intestinal Epithelium at the Forefront of Host-Helminth Interactions

Abstract

Gastrointestinal helminth infection still constitutes a major public health issue, particularly in the developing world. As these parasites can undergo a large part of their lifecycle within the intestinal tract the host has developed various structural and cellular specializations at the epithelial barrier to contend with infection. Detailed characterization of these cells will provide important insights about their contributions to the protective responses mediated against helminths. Here, we discuss how key components of the intestinal epithelium may function to limit the initial establishment of helminths, and how these cells are altered during an active response to infection.

Keywords: enteroendocrine cell; goblet cell; helminth; intestinal epithelium; tuft cell; type 2 immunity.