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Oral Tolerance

Meaning

Oral tolerance is the fundamental and critical immunological phenomenon by which the body’s systemic immune system is specifically rendered unresponsive to various antigens that are routinely encountered via the oral route, such as harmless components of food or the vast commensal bacteria. This essential process is absolutely vital for preventing inappropriate and damaging inflammatory responses to non-pathogenic substances. It represents a critical mechanism for maintaining gastrointestinal and systemic immune homeostasis. A clinical breakdown in the integrity of oral tolerance is a key underlying factor in the development of food allergies and certain autoimmune diseases.