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Updated: Jul 14, 2026
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An Intravital Microscopy-Based Approach to Assess Intestinal Permeability and Epithelial Cell Shedding Performance
Published on: December 3, 2020
Intestinal permeability and irritable bowel syndrome
1Clinical Enteric Neuroscience Translational and Epidemiological Research Group, Mayo Clinic College of Medicine, Rochester, MN 55905, USA. camilleri.michael@mayo.edu
Neurogastroenterology and Motility
|June 27, 2007
Summary
Intestinal permeability may play a role in irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). Further research is needed to validate methods for assessing gut barrier function in IBS patients.
Area of Science:
- Gastroenterology and Gut Health
- Microbiome and Intestinal Barrier Function
Background:
- Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) is a common gastrointestinal disorder with complex pathobiology.
- Altered intestinal permeability, or 'leaky gut,' is increasingly investigated as a contributing factor in IBS.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review the significance of intestinal permeability in IBS pathobiology.
- To examine the evidence for increased intestinal permeability in IBS patients.
- To discuss the advantages and disadvantages of various probe molecules used to measure intestinal permeability.
Main Methods:
- Systematic literature search of PubMed database.
- Review and synthesis of existing research on intestinal permeability and IBS.
- Analysis of different probe molecules for assessing intestinal permeability.
Main Results:
- A subgroup of IBS patients exhibits evidence of elevated intestinal permeability.
- Current methods for assessing intestinal permeability require further refinement and validation.
- Understanding intestinal barrier function is crucial for IBS research.
Conclusions:
- Intestinal permeability is a relevant factor in the pathobiology of a subset of IBS patients.
- Enhanced and validated methods are essential for advancing research on gut barrier function in IBS.
- Further investigation into intestinal barrier integrity may offer new insights into IBS mechanisms.
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