ERC Starting Grant · 2021
Determining the mechanisms behind goblet cell dysfunction
Goblet cells are specialized epithelial cells that secrete mucus and antimicrobial proteins which together form the gut mucus barrier. The mucus barrier protects the host from bacterial invasion and subsequent activation of an inflammatory response, while also providing food for the microbiome. Dysfunction of goblet cells and high penetrability of the mucus barrier are hallmarks of inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD). While the reasons for goblet cell dysfunction are unclear, it is thought that inflammation, host genetics (specifically mutations in autophagy genes) and environmental factors can affect their function. Yet despite their importance, the basic biology of goblet cells is not…
From the public funding record at EU CORDIS. Describes the funded project, not the reviews below.