Corr Sinead C, Gahan Cormac C G M, Hill Colin
Department of Microbiology, Alimentary Pharmabiotic Centre, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland.
FEMS Immunol Med Microbiol. 2008 Jan;52(1):2-12. doi: 10.1111/j.1574-695X.2007.00359.x. Epub 2007 Dec 10.
M-cells are specialized cells found in the follicle-associated epithelium of intestinal Peyer's patches of gut-associated lymphoid tissue and in isolated lymphoid follicles, appendix and in mucosal-associated lymphoid tissue sites outside the gastrointestinal tract. In the gastrointestinal tract, M-cells play an important role in transport of antigen from the lumen of the small intestine to mucosal lymphoid tissues, where processing and initiation of immune responses occur. Thus, M-cells act as gateways to the mucosal immune system and this function has been exploited by many invading pathogens. Understanding the mechanism by which M-cells sample antigen will inform the design of oral vaccines with improved efficacy in priming mucosal and systemic immune responses. In this review, the origin and morphology of M-cells, and their role in mucosal immunity and pathogenesis of infections are discussed.
M细胞是存在于肠道相关淋巴组织的肠派尔集合淋巴结的滤泡相关上皮、孤立淋巴滤泡、阑尾以及胃肠道外黏膜相关淋巴组织部位的特化细胞。在胃肠道中，M细胞在将抗原从小肠腔转运至黏膜淋巴组织的过程中发挥重要作用，而免疫反应的处理和启动就在黏膜淋巴组织中发生。因此，M细胞充当了黏膜免疫系统的门户，许多入侵病原体都利用了这一功能。了解M细胞摄取抗原的机制将有助于设计出在引发黏膜和全身免疫反应方面具有更高效力的口服疫苗。在这篇综述中，我们将讨论M细胞的起源、形态及其在黏膜免疫和感染发病机制中的作用。
