LAUSR

The intestinal tract is the largest immunological organ in the body and has a central function of regulating local immune responses, as the intestinal epithelial barrier is a location where the immune system interacts with the gut microbiome including bacteria, fungi, and viruses. Impaired immunity in the intestinal tract can lead to immunopathology, which manifests in different diseases such as inflammatory bowel disease or intestinal graft‐versus‐host disease. A disturbed communication between epithelial cells, immune cells, and microbiome will shape pathogenic immune responses to antigens, which need to be counterbalanced by tolerogenic mechanisms and repair mechanisms.