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Intestinal Barrier Integrity

Meaning

Intestinal barrier integrity refers to the structural and functional soundness of the single layer of epithelial cells lining the gastrointestinal tract, which serves as a selective, semi-permeable boundary between the gut lumen and the systemic circulation. Maintaining this critical barrier is essential for allowing the efficient absorption of necessary nutrients while simultaneously preventing the uncontrolled passage of harmful pathogens, toxins, and immunogenic food particles into the body. Compromised integrity is a key factor implicated in systemic low-grade inflammation, immune dysregulation, and the disruption of the gut-endocrine axis.