The preprotachykinin-A gene-derived peptides substance (substance P; SP) and neurokinin
(NK) A are expressed in intrinsic enteric neurons, which supply all layers of the gut, and …

Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is a chronic, relapsing condition involving complex
interactions between genes and the environment. The mechanisms triggering the initial …

Background: Morphological and functional changes in the enteric nervous system (ENS)
have been reported in inflammatory bowel diseases but it is still uncertain whether …

A bidirectional cross-talk is established between the nervous and immune systems through
common mediators including neuropeptides, neurotransmitters, and cytokines. Among …

The gut immune system shares many mediators and receptors with the autonomic nervous
system. Good examples thereof are the parasympathetic (vagal) and sympathetic …

One of the main tasks of the immune system is to discriminate and appropriately react to
“danger” or “non-danger” signals. This is crucial in the gastrointestinal tract, where the …

Ulcerative colitis (UC) is an inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) which is related to an
immunological imbalance of the intestinal mucosa. Many clinical evidences indicate …

Mast cells are well known as versatile cells capable of releasing and producing a variety of
inflammatory mediators upon activation and are often found in close proximity of neurons. In …

Although the available data suggest an important role for neuropeptides in the
pathophysiology of intestinal inflammation, there does yet not appear to be a function that …

Abstract Background Mast cells (MCs) and vasoactive intestinal polypeptide (VIP) have
been proposed as regulators of the intestinal barrier and inflammation. Our aim was to map …