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Updated: Jul 5, 2026
10:56
Combining Human Organoids and Organ-on-a-Chip Technology to Model Intestinal Region-Specific Functionality
Published on: May 5, 2022
Intestine: organ or apparatus?
Giovanni Gasbarrini1, Massimo Montalto, Luca Santoro
1Institute of Internal Medicine, Catholic University, Rome, Italy.
Digestive Diseases (Basel, Switzerland)
|April 24, 2008
Summary
The human gut, with its complex interactions between enterocytes, immune cells, and microflora, functions as an integrated apparatus. This intricate system ensures efficient defense and nutrient absorption, extending beyond the traditional view of the gut as a single organ.
Area of Science:
- Gastroenterology
- Microbiology
- Immunology
Background:
- The human intestine performs vital functions including digestion, absorption, and immune responses.
- Intestinal microflora, a diverse bacterial community, offers significant benefits and is increasingly recognized as a functional organ.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate whether the human intestine should be classified as an organ or a complex apparatus.
- To analyze the collaborative mechanisms among intestinal components and microflora.
Main Methods:
- Analysis of the functional relationships between enterocytes, endocrine cells, gut immune system, and microflora.
- Evaluation of the defense mechanisms within the intestinal environment.
Main Results:
- A continuous collaboration is essential among enterocytes, intestinal endocrine cells, the gut immune system, and microflora.
- These components work together to ensure an efficient defense mechanism.
Conclusions:
- The complexity and collaborative nature of intestinal components, including the microflora, suggest it functions as an apparatus.
- Reclassifying the gut as an apparatus better reflects its integrated physiological roles.
Related Concept Videos
01:23Anatomy of the Intestines
Although digestion of proteins, carbohydrates, and lipids may begin in the stomach, it is completed in the intestine. The absorption of nutrients, water, and electrolytes from food and drink also occurs in the intestine. The intestines can be divided into two structurally distinct organs—the small and large intestines.
Small Intestines
The small intestine is an ~7 meter-long tube with an inner diameter of just 2.5 cm. Since most nutrients are absorbed here, the inner lining of the small...
Small Intestines
The small intestine is an ~7 meter-long tube with an inner diameter of just 2.5 cm. Since most nutrients are absorbed here, the inner lining of the small...
01:15Small Intestine
The small intestine is primarily responsible for digestion and nutrient absorption. It spans from the pyloric sphincter to the ileocecal valve and connects to the large intestine.
The small intestine is divided into three main sections - the duodenum, jejunum, and ileum. The duodenum, approximately 25 cm long, is nearest the stomach. It acts as a 'mixing bowl,' where chyme (partially digested food) blends with digestive enzymes from the pancreas and liver. The duodenum's unique C-shape wraps...
The small intestine is divided into three main sections - the duodenum, jejunum, and ileum. The duodenum, approximately 25 cm long, is nearest the stomach. It acts as a 'mixing bowl,' where chyme (partially digested food) blends with digestive enzymes from the pancreas and liver. The duodenum's unique C-shape wraps...
01:26Histology of the Large Intestine
The large intestine, a vital component of the gastrointestinal tract, is structured with four main layers: the mucosa, submucosa, muscularis, and serosa. Each layer performs a distinct role in facilitating the smooth functioning of the large intestine.
The innermost mucosa layer comprises simple columnar epithelium, lamina propria, and muscularis mucosae. This layer is primarily populated with absorptive cells, tasked with water absorption, and goblet cells, responsible for secreting mucus to...
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01:09Large Intestine
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01:19Major Organs of the Digestive System
The digestive system is responsible for the ingestion of food, secretion of enzymes, mixing and digesting food, absorption of the nutrients and defecation. The human digestive system consists of two major parts: the gastrointestinal tract and the accessory digestive organs.
Gastrointestinal tract:
Gastrointestinal tract:
01:26Anatomy of the Gastrointestinal System
The human digestive system is an intricate and essential network for nutrient absorption and waste elimination. It encompasses the gastrointestinal (GI) tract and several accessory organs.
Here's a detailed walkthrough of this complex system:
Here's a detailed walkthrough of this complex system: