Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 5, 2026

Competitive Homing Assays to Study Gut-tropic T Cell Migration
Published on: March 2, 2011
Homing of intestinal immune cells
Holm H Uhlig1, Christian Mottet, Fiona Powrie
1Sir William Dunn School of Pathology, University of Oxford, South Parks Road, Oxford OX1 3RE, UK.
Abstract:
The homing of immune cells into the intestinal mucosa, the gut-associated lymphoid tissue or the mesenteric lymph nodes involves a complex process of molecular events that is dependent on cell type and cell maturation. Key factors that collectively determine the homing of leukocytes and their interaction with resident endothelial, epithelial, stromal and immune cells are interactions between integrins or selectins with their tissue adhesion molecules as well as chemokine receptors and their ligands. The organization of the small and large intestinal tissue and the mucosa associated lymphoid tissue as well as the presence or absence of inflammatory stimuli influence the homing of intestinal immune cells. The homing pattern of intestinal dendritic cells and CD4+ T cells and its role for the pathogenesis and regulation of inflammatory bowel disease are discussed.
Related Concept Videos
Renewal of Intestinal Stem Cells
Role of Ephrin-Eph Signalling in Intestinal Stem Cell Renewal
Role Of Notch Signalling In Intestinal Stem Cell Renewal
Direct cell-to-cell contact is needed for the activation of Notch signaling. The signal is initiated when a notch ligand binds to a receptor on an adjacent cell, also...
Lymphoid Cells and Tissues
Lymphoid cells consist of various types of immune system cells. These include B and T lymphocytes, which are responsible for producing antibodies and killing infected cells, respectively. Dendritic cells act as messengers between the innate and adaptive...
Secondary Lymphoid Organs
The spleen is a vital organ in the lymphatic system, nestled in the upper left side of the abdomen. It is composed of two primary regions: the red pulp and the white pulp, each having distinct functions. The red pulp performs a significant role in blood filtration. It efficiently purges the blood of old or damaged red blood cells and...
Histology of the Small Intestine
The intestinal lining features transverse folds called circular folds, each housing fingerlike projections known as intestinal villi. These villi are covered by a layer of simple columnar epithelium, also referred to as...

