Abstract
The gut constitutes part of the mucosal-associated lymphoid tissue. It has two important and conflicting immune functions—to produce specific immune tolerance to food antigens, and to provide immune protection against potential pathogens. The gut immune system comprises intra-epithelial lymphocytes, which are predominantly CD8 effector cells, and lamina propria lymphocytes, which are mainly CD4 helper cells. Specialized areas of the gut epithelium contain dome cells, which allow antigen to be presented to Peyer's patches. Immunocompetent cells generated by this process circulate through the lymphatics and to the mucosal immune system by means of specific integrins (particularly B7) that interact with addressins on venules in the gut wall. Both IgA and IgM are secreted into the gut lumen to produce humoral immunity. Production of secretory IgA is associated with eradication of Cryptosporidium in calves, and CD4 cells have been shown to have a pivotal role in eradicating this infection in 'knock-out' mice experiments.
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