Gut immunity - What are the keys to protection?

摘要

The mucosal immune system provides the first immune defense barrier for over 90% of potential pathogens in the gastrointestinal tract. It must not only protect against harmful pathogens but also tolerize the immune system to dietary antigens and normal microbial flora (Figure 1). The mucosal immune system is very rudimentary in the newborn pig and gradually develops in four stages over the first 6 weeks of life1 (Table 1).