Enterochromaffin Cells Are Gut Chemosensors that Couple to Sensory Neural Pathways
- Journal:
- Cell
- Published:
- DOI:
- 10.1016/j.cell.2017.05.034
- Affiliations:
- 6
- Authors:
- 9
Research Highlight
Gut feelings, explained
© Michael Heim/EyeEm/Getty
Specialized cells in
the gut act as chemical sensors that can rapidly alert the nervous system to
signs of trouble in the intestines.
The finding, from a team that included Flinders
University researchers, could lead to new therapies that correct gut overreaction
to certain substances in gastrointestinal disorders such as irritable bowel
syndrome.
The researchers coaxed mouse stem cells into
intestine-mimicking ‘organoids’ or ‘mini-guts’ and then profiled how enterochromaffin cells in the intestinal
lining responded to a range of different molecules. They showed that the cells
express specific receptors that are activated by three broad types of
molecules: bacterial by-products; hormones involved in stress signals; and
known triggers found in food.
Activation led to release of the hormone
serotonin, which prompted the creation of synaptic junctions with nearby neurons
and the relay of signals up to the brain.
References
- Cell 170, 185–198 (2017). doi: 10.1016/j.cell.2017.05.034
Institutions | Authors | Share |
---|---|---|
University of California, San Francisco (UCSF), United States of America (USA) | 0.67 | |
Flinders University, Australia | 0.17 | |
Centre for Nutrition and Gastrointestinal Diseases, Australia | 0.17 |