Colon-Protecting Mucus Layer (IMAGE)
Caption
A thick mucus layer, generated by the cells of the colon's wall, provides protection against invading bacteria and other pathogens. This image of a mouse's colon shows the mucus (green) acting as a barrier for the "goblet" cells (blue) that produce it. In this case, the mice were raised in a germ-free environment, then received a transplanted set of human gut microbes. When the mice were fed a high-fiber diet, the mucus layer was thick and microbes that can digest fiber flourished. But on a fiber-free diet, the mucus layer became much thinner after microbes capable of digesting mucus became more dominant. This left the goblet cells open to infection by a pathogen.
Credit
University of Michigan
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Credit University of Michigan
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