Immunopathogenesis of gastrointestinal and hepatobiliary diseases
C. Galperin and M. E. Gershwin
The largest lymphoid organ in the body is the gut and the gut-associated
lymphoid tissue. The mucosal immune system faces many challenges in
protecting the body from microbial invasion. Its chief function is to
maintain a diverse population of mature lymphocytes capable of responding
to foreign antigens. This task is accomplished with a variety of unique
features that distinguish the mucosal from the systemic immune system. In
addition, the mucosal immune system plays a role in inflammatory bowel
disease, Whipple disease, autoimmune gastritis, Helicobacter pylori
infection, immunoproliferative small intestinal disease, hepatitis A, B, C,
D, E, F, and G, autoimmune hepatitis, primary biliary cirrhosis,
progressive sclerosing cholangitis, and vanishing bile duct syndrome.
