Gut commensal bacteria, Paneth cells and their relations to radiation enteropathy

Figure 2 Specific roles of Paneth cells in maintaining epithelial homeostasis and defense. Paneth cells are critical feeders due to their high secretion of epithermal growth factor, Wnt3a or Notch ligands to neighboring intestinal stem cells (ISCs), thus driving ISC expansion[44]. Moreover, several important peptides of antimicrobial functions are generated from Paneth cells[50]. In this situation, several inflammatory cytokines, including interferon-γ, tumor necrosis factor-α, interleukin (IL)-13 and IL-4, will elicit the degranulation of Paneth cells to antagonize luminal bacterial overgrowth. growth factor receptor; Dll1: Delta-like ligand 1; Dll4: Delta-like ligand 4; IFN-γ: Interferon-γ; TNF-α: Tumor necrosis factor-α; IL-13: Interleukin-13; IL-4: Interleukin-4; PLA2: Phospholipase A2; RegIIIγ: Regenerating islet-derived protein IIIγ.