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Updated: Jun 10, 2025

Isolation and Flow Cytometric Characterization of Murine Small Intestinal Lymphocytes
Published on: May 8, 2016
A two-front nutrient supply environment fuels small intestinal physiology through differential regulation of nutrient
Jian Zhang1, Ruonan Tian2, Jia Liu3
1Institute of Immunology and Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou 310058, China; Liangzhu Laboratory, Zhejiang University Medical Center, Hangzhou 311113, China.
Abstract:
The small intestine contains a two-front nutrient supply environment created by luminal dietary and microbial metabolites (enteral side) and systemic metabolites from the host (serosal side). Yet, it is unknown how each side contributes differentially to the small intestinal physiology. Here, we generated a comprehensive, high-resolution map of the small intestinal two-front nutrient supply environment. Using in vivo tracing of macronutrients and spatial metabolomics, we visualized the spatiotemporal dynamics and cell-type tropism in nutrient absorption and the region-specific metabolic heterogeneity within the villi. Specifically, glutamine from the enteral side fuels goblet cells to support mucus production, and the serosal side loosens the epithelial barrier by calibrating fungal metabolites. Disorganized feeding patterns, akin to the human lifestyle of skipping breakfast, increase the risk of metabolic diseases by inducing epithelial memory of lipid absorption. This study improves our understanding of how the small intestine is spatiotemporally regulated by its unique nutritional environment.
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