胃肠道管腔内含有多种微生物。上皮细胞通过产生各种因子构建化学和物理屏障，将管腔微生物与固有层中的免疫细胞隔离，以防止针对微生物的过度免疫反应。因此，上皮完整性的扰动与胃肠道疾病的发展有关。几种间充质基质细胞群，包括成纤维细胞、肌成纤维细胞、周细胞和肌细胞，通过调节肠道干细胞的自我更新、增殖和分化，有助于建立和维持肠道上皮稳态。最近的研究揭示了炎症性肠病和结直肠癌患者肠道间充质基质细胞组成的变化。更好地了解与肠道健康和疾病相关的间充质基质细胞和上皮细胞之间的相互作用将有助于识别胃肠道疾病的新型生物标志物和治疗靶点。本综述总结了迄今为止关于功能不同的间充质基质细胞在不同发育阶段的肠道健康和疾病中调节上皮完整性的机制的关键发现。© 2024。作者。

The gastrointestinal tract harbors diverse microorganisms in the lumen. Epithelial cells segregate the luminal microorganisms from immune cells in the lamina propria by constructing chemical and physical barriers through the production of various factors to prevent excessive immune responses against microbes. Therefore, perturbations of epithelial integrity are linked to the development of gastrointestinal disorders. Several mesenchymal stromal cell populations, including fibroblasts, myofibroblasts, pericytes, and myocytes, contribute to the establishment and maintenance of epithelial homeostasis in the gut through regulation of the self-renewal, proliferation, and differentiation of intestinal stem cells. Recent studies have revealed alterations in the composition of intestinal mesenchymal stromal cells in patients with inflammatory bowel disease and colorectal cancer. A better understanding of the interplay between mesenchymal stromal cells and epithelial cells associated with intestinal health and diseases will facilitate identification of novel biomarkers and therapeutic targets for gastrointestinal disorders. This review summarizes the key findings obtained to date on the mechanisms by which functionally distinct mesenchymal stromal cells regulate epithelial integrity in intestinal health and diseases at different developmental stages.© 2024. The Author(s).