Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 10, 2026
05:10
Three-dimensional Quantification of Intestinal Mucus Using Whole-mount Tissue Imaging
Published on: September 12, 2025
Glycobiome: bacteria and mucus at the epithelial interface
Janneke P Ouwerkerk1, Willem M de Vos, Clara Belzer
1Laboratory of Microbiology, Wageningen UR, Building 316, Dreijenplein 10, 6703 HB Wageningen, The Netherlands. janneke.ouwerkerk@wur.nl
Best Practice & Research. Clinical Gastroenterology
|June 18, 2013
Summary
The gut microbiota interacts with host glycans at the epithelial barrier. Specialized microbes degrade mucus, influencing gut health and disease.
Area of Science:
- Microbiology
- Gastroenterology
- Host-Microbe Interactions
Background:
- The human gastrointestinal tract harbors a complex microbial community vital for health.
- The gut mucosa, lined by host-derived glycans (glycocalyx, mucus), hosts a distinct microbiota.
- This mucosa-associated microbiota plays key roles in nutrient exchange, immune development, and pathogen resistance.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review host-microbe interactions at the epithelial-glycan interface.
- To explore the spatial organization and composition of the mucosa-associated microbiota.
- To understand the role of this microbiota in health and disease.
Main Methods:
- Literature review focused on mucosal immunology and microbial ecology.
- Analysis of studies on glycan metabolism by gut microbes.
- Examination of research on microbiota composition in relation to host physiology.
Main Results:
- The mucosal microbiota differs significantly from luminal microbiota.
- Microbes like Akkermansia muciniphila and Bacteroides thetaiotaomicron possess adaptations for mucus degradation.
- Glycan availability shapes the composition and function of the mucosa-associated microbiota.
Conclusions:
- Host glycans create a specialized niche influencing gut microbial communities.
- Understanding these interactions is crucial for comprehending gut health and disease pathogenesis.
- Targeting host-microbe-glycan interactions may offer therapeutic strategies.
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