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Review
. 2022 Jun 14:12:856962.
doi: 10.3389/fcimb.2022.856962. eCollection 2022.

Mucus and Mucins: The Underappreciated Host Defence System

Yong Hua Sheng  1 , Sumaira Z Hasnain  1   2
Affiliations
Review

Mucus and Mucins: The Underappreciated Host Defence System

Yong Hua Sheng et al. Front Cell Infect Microbiol. .

Abstract

The mucosal surfaces that form the boundary between the external environment and the underlying tissue are protected by a mucus barrier. Mucin glycoproteins, both secreted and cell surface mucins, are the major components of the barrier. They can exclude pathogens and toxins while hosting the commensal bacteria. In this review, we highlight the dynamic function of the mucins and mucus during infection, how this mucosal barrier is regulated, and how pathogens have evolved mechanisms to evade this defence system.

Keywords: barrier integrity; host defence; infection; microbes; mucins; mucosal epithelial cells; mucus; pathogen.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Schematic depicting the role of cell surface and gel-forming mucins at the mucosal barrier (created with BioRender).
Figure 2
Figure 2
Strategies employed by pathogens to overcome the mucus barrier (created with BioRender).
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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