Pain neurons and goblet cells engage in crosstalk to protect the gut (IMAGE)

Harvard Medical School

Pain neurons and goblet cells engage in crosstalk to protect the gut

Caption

Harvard Medical School researchers have analyzed the molecular crosstalk between pain fibers in the gut and goblet cells that line the walls of the intestine. The work shows that chemical signals from pain neurons induce goblet cells to release protective mucus that coats the gut and shields it from damage. The findings show that intestinal pain is not a mere detection-and-signaling system, but plays a direct protective role in the gut.

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Chiu Lab/Harvard Medical School

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