The Interaction of Large Bowel Microflora with the Colonic Mucus Barrier

The colonic mucus barrier is the first line of defence that the underlying mucosa has against the wide range of potentially damaging agents of microbial, endogenous, and dietary origin that occur within the colonic lumen. The functional component of mucus is the secreted, polymeric glycoprotein mucin. The mucus barrier can either act as an energy source or a support medium for growth to the intestinal microflora. The mucus barrier appears to effectively partition the vast number of microbial cells from the underlying epithelium. The normal functionality and biochemistry of this mucus barrier appears to be lost in diseases of the colorectal mucosa. Germ-free animal studies have highlighted the necessity of the presence of the colonic microflora to drive the maturation of the colonic mucosa and normal mucus production. A number of by-products of the microflora have been suggested to be key luminal drivers of colonic mucus secretion.