Analysis Tools
digestive/alimentary system
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• reduction in water content in feces
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• the mucus layer in the colon appears thinner and occasionally discontinued
• the number of mucin layers is reduced in the colon
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• thickness of the inner mucus layer is reduced
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• commensal bacteria penetrate the inner mucus layer and are detected in the mucosa and submucosa and are increased in number indicating impaired gut barrier function; bacteria infiltration occurs at segments where the inner and outer mucus layers are not formed properly and bacteria are seen inside and close to epithelial cells
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• mice show a deficit in water secretion in the intestine
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cellular
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• mice show defective goblet cell mucus exocytosis leading to secretion of intact mucin granules into the lumen of the large intestine, mucin granules abnormally plugging the apical membrane, and intact mucin granules floating in the lumen of the large intestine
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immune system
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• mice show decreased clearance of enteric Citrobacter rodentium infection indicating a reduced ability of the intestine to clear bacterial infections
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