Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 6, 2026
Isolation and Flow Cytometric Characterization of Murine Small Intestinal Lymphocytes
Published on: May 8, 2016
Irritable bowel syndrome immune hypothesis. Part one: the role of lymphocytes and mast cells
M Ortiz-Lucas1, P Saz-Peiró, J J Sebastián-Domingo
1Department of Microbiology, Preventive Medicine and Public Health, University of Zaragoza. mariaortizlucas@gmail.com
Objective:
To review the available evidence on the role of T-lymphocytes and mast cells in the etiopathogenesis of Irritable Bowel Syndrome.
Methods:
Bibliographic retrieval on PubMed including the terms "Irritable Bowel Syndrome, "Immune System", "T-Lymphocytes" and "Mast Cells".
Results:
Twenty-five case-control studies and one randomized controlled trial were retrieved. Noteworthy in the blood is the increase in activated T cells destined to migrate to the bowel in these patients. A high frequency of T-lymphocytes is described in the intestinal mucosa, although the study findings are, at times, contradictory. An evident increase in mast cells (and in their activity) between the terminal ileum and descending colon is also observed.
Conclusions:
The heterogeneity of diagnostic criteria and experimentation methods could account for some of the differences in the results found in the selected research. There are indications that give reason to believe these patients have "low-grade intestinal inflammation", and the increase in T-lymphocytes and mast cells has been associated with disorders found in IBS such as the communication between the intestine and the nervous system, the increase in intestinal permeability and changes in the microbiota.
Related Concept Videos
01:17Irritable Bowel Syndrome I: Introduction
IBS is a chronic condition that can persist over a long period or recur frequently.
The pathogenesis of IBS involves a complex interplay of the following factors:
Altered...
01:23Irritable Bowel Syndrome
01:20Inflammatory Bowel Disease II: Ulcerative Colitis
01:25Inflammatory Bowel Disease III: Crohn's Disease
01:30Irritable Bowel Syndrome II: Clinical Features and Diagnostic Evaluation
Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) is classified into subtypes based on the predominant bowel habits as determined by the Bristol Stool Form Scale (BSFS). The subtypes are:
01:17Chronic Bowel Disorders: Introduction
Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) is a common disorder affecting the gastrointestinal tract. The distinctive feature is recurrent abdominal pain associated with altered bowel movements, manifesting as constipation, diarrhea, or fluctuating between both. The...