Gaudier Estelle, Hoebler Christine
UMR, Physiologie des Adaptations Nutrionnelles, Centre de recherche en Nutrition Humaine, INRA, 44316 Nantes.
Gastroenterol Clin Biol. 2006 Aug-Sep;30(8-9):965-74. doi: 10.1016/s0399-8320(06)73358-9.
Colonic mucus is a key element of colonic barrier as it is located at the frontier between luminal microflora and colonic mucosa itself. Colonic mucus is mainly composed of high molecular weight glycoproteins called mucins that can be either secreted or membrane-linked. The expression of various colonic mucins is altered in colorectal cancers or inflammations. The aim of this review is to highlight the crucial role played by colonic mucins in the maintenance of colonic barrier integrity, both because they are part of the protective mucus layer, and because they individually exert specific functions involved in epithelial barrier, like cell growth and differentiation, immunomodulation, signal transduction or cell adhesion.
