Search research articles

ABOUT JoVE

Overview Leadership Blog JoVE Help Center

AUTHORS

Publishing Process Editorial Board Scope & Policies Peer Review FAQ Submit

LIBRARIANS

Testimonials Subscriptions Access Resources Library Advisory Board FAQ

RESEARCH

JoVE Journal Methods Collections JoVE Encyclopedia of Experiments Archive

EDUCATION

JoVE Core JoVE Business JoVE Science Education JoVE Lab Manual Faculty Resource Center Faculty Site

Terms & Conditions of Use

Related Concept Videos

Renewal of Intestinal Stem Cells

Renewal of Intestinal Stem Cells

The intestinal epithelial lining rapidly renews every 4 to 5 days. The renewal is facilitated by intestinal stem cells (ISCs) located at the base of the crypt– a gland located at the bottom of each villus. ISCs divide asymmetrically to form new stem cells and progenitor daughter cells. The daughter cells are called transit-amplifying (TA) cells which move upwards along the crypt and either differentiate into absorptive cells– the enterocytes or secretory cells– including the goblet,...

Physiology of Enteric Nervous System and Gut Health

Physiology of Enteric Nervous System and Gut Health

The gastrointestinal tract, responsible for the digestion and absorption of nutrients, is safeguarded by the intestinal barrier, which consists of secretory, physical, and immune components. At the forefront is the secretory barrier, composed of essential elements such as mucus, gut microbiota, and defense proteins. They collaborate to break down food particles, facilitate nutrient absorption, and maintain optimal gut health. These secretory components ensure the smooth functioning of the...

Adult Stem Cells

Adult Stem Cells

Stem cells are undifferentiated cells that divide and produce more stem cells or progenitor cells that differentiate into mature, specialized cell types. All the cells in the body are generated from stem cells in the early embryo, but small populations of stem cells are also present in many adult tissues including the bone marrow, brain, skin, and gut. These adult stem cells typically produce the various cell types found in that tissue—to replace cells that are damaged or to continuously renew...

Role Of Notch Signalling In Intestinal Stem Cell Renewal

Role Of Notch Signalling In Intestinal Stem Cell Renewal

Notch signaling was first discovered in Drosophila melanogaster, where it is involved in cell lineage differentiation. Notch signaling regulates the maintenance and differentiation of intestinal stem cells or ISCs by controlling the expression of atonal homolog 1 or Atoh1. Atoh1 directs cells to differentiate into secretory cells.
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...

Secondary Lymphoid Organs

Secondary Lymphoid Organs

Secondary organs, including lymph nodes, the spleen, and mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue (MALT), work harmoniously to protect us from disease and infection.
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...

Cells of the Adaptive Immune Response

Cells of the Adaptive Immune Response

The T and B lymphocytes of the adaptive immune system develop from common lymphoid progenitor cells in the bone marrow. These progenitors give rise to precursors that eventually develop into both T and B lymphocytes. As these precursors mature, they gain the ability to detect and respond to foreign antigens in the body, a process known as immunocompetence. Additionally, these precursors acquire self-tolerance, a process that ensures they do not react to self-antigens. This intricate system...

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by

Same author

Ultralow Gain-Normalized Dark Current Density in a Colloidal Quantum Dot Avalanche Photodiode with a SACM Architecture.

Nano letters·2026

Same author

Biosynthesis of glycosylated 5-hydroxycytosine in the DNA of diverse viruses.

Nucleic acids research·2026

Same author

Radiomics in thyroid nodule assessment.

BMC medical imaging·2026

Same author

Synthesis, characteristics, and applications of sustainable carbon quantum dots derived from biomass of recombinant bacterium.

Bioresource technology·2026

Same author

Special Issue: Novel Vaccines and Vaccine Technologies for Emerging Infections.

Vaccines·2026

Same author

Land-use types shape soil bacterial communities, co-occurrence networks, and predicted functions in karst ecosystems.

Scientific reports·2026

Search research articles

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jul 15, 2026

Induced Differentiation of M Cell-like Cells in Human Stem Cell-derived Ileal Enteroid Monolayers

Induced Differentiation of M Cell-like Cells in Human Stem Cell-derived Ileal Enteroid Monolayers

Published on: July 26, 2019

Intestinal M cells: the fallible sentinels?

Harvey Miller, Jianbing Zhang, Rhonda Kuolee

World Journal of Gastroenterology

|April 28, 2007

Summary

Microfold cells are specialized gut cells crucial for immune defense and homeostasis. They act as sentinels, sampling antigens, but can also be exploited by pathogens for entry and infection.

Area of Science:

Immunology
Gastroenterology
Cell Biology

Background:

The gastrointestinal tract possesses the largest mucosal surface area, housing a critical immune system for host defense and homeostasis.
Specialized epithelial cells, known as microfold (M) cells, are key components of gut-associated lymphoid tissues (GALT).

Discussion:

M cells function as sentinels, sampling luminal antigens and delivering them to underlying immune cells for immune response initiation.
These cells play a dual role: facilitating mucosal immunity and serving as a potential entry point for intestinal pathogens.
Understanding M cell morphology, development, and function is vital for comprehending gut infection pathogenesis and mucosal immunity.

Key Insights:

M cells are specialized epithelial cells in the gut-associated lymphoid tissues (GALT).

More Related Videos

Protocols for Analyzing the Role of Paneth Cells in Regenerating the Murine Intestine using Conditional Cre-lox Mouse Models

Protocols for Analyzing the Role of Paneth Cells in Regenerating the Murine Intestine using Conditional Cre-lox Mouse Models

Published on: November 21, 2015

Intravital Imaging of Intraepithelial Lymphocytes in Murine Small Intestine

Intravital Imaging of Intraepithelial Lymphocytes in Murine Small Intestine

Published on: June 24, 2019

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Jul 15, 2026

Induced Differentiation of M Cell-like Cells in Human Stem Cell-derived Ileal Enteroid Monolayers

Induced Differentiation of M Cell-like Cells in Human Stem Cell-derived Ileal Enteroid Monolayers

Published on: July 26, 2019

Protocols for Analyzing the Role of Paneth Cells in Regenerating the Murine Intestine using Conditional Cre-lox Mouse Models

Protocols for Analyzing the Role of Paneth Cells in Regenerating the Murine Intestine using Conditional Cre-lox Mouse Models

Published on: November 21, 2015

Intravital Imaging of Intraepithelial Lymphocytes in Murine Small Intestine

Intravital Imaging of Intraepithelial Lymphocytes in Murine Small Intestine

Published on: June 24, 2019

They sample antigens from the gut lumen and transport them to immune cells.

Pathogens can exploit M cells to invade the host, highlighting their dual role in immunity and infection.

Outlook:

Further research into M cell biology can lead to novel strategies for preventing and treating gastrointestinal infections.
Investigating M cell development and function may reveal therapeutic targets for modulating mucosal immune responses.