The Role of Phospholipids Within the Intestinal Mucosal Barrier

Phospholipids are an important functional constituent of the intestinal mucosal barrier. They are not only essential for the cell membranes of intestinal epithelial cells, but are also abundant within the intestinal mucus layer which coats the gastrointestinal tract continually with a thickness of up to about 800 µm [1]. This layer is the very first line of defense of the host against potential luminal aggressors like the trillions of bacteria inhabiting the colon [2,3]. Apart from water, it is predominantly composed of glycoproteins, lipids, other proteins and nucleic acids [1,4]. The integrity of the intestina…