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Papers of the Week


Papers: 3 Oct 2020 - 9 Oct 2020


2020 Oct 07


Am J Physiol Gastrointest Liver Physiol

Neural control of Gut homeostasis.

Authors

Abdullah N, Defaye M, Altier C
Am J Physiol Gastrointest Liver Physiol. 2020 Oct 07.
PMID: 33026824.

Abstract

The gut-brain axis is a coordinated communication system that not only maintains homeostasis, but significantly influences higher cognitive functions and emotions as well as neurological and behavioral disorders. Among the large populations of sensory and motor neurons that innervate the gut, insights into the function of primary afferent nociceptors whose cell bodies reside in the dorsal root ganglia and nodose ganglia, have revealed their multiple crosstalk with several cell types within the gut wall, including epithelial, vascular and immune cells. These bi-directional communications have immunoregulatory functions, control host response to pathogen, and modulate sensation associated with gastrointestinal disorders, through activation of immune cells and glia in the peripheral and central nervous system, respectively. Here we will review the cellular and neurochemical basis of these interactions at the periphery, in dorsal root ganglia and in the spinal cord. We will discuss the research gaps that should be addressed to get a better understanding of the multifunctional role of sensory neurons in maintaining gut homeostasis and regulating visceral sensitivity.