ABSTRACT
The gastrointestinal (GI) mucosa hosts the largest collection of microbial ora (microbiota) in the human body. Failure to achieve or maintain the balance between the host and its microbiota has detrimental outcomes, leading to a variety of GI diseases related to the activation of dysregulated immune responses and inammation. The GI mucosa utilizes both innate and adaptive immune mechanisms to protect itself against micro organisms while simultaneously being tolerant toward the normally harmless microora and antigens consumed in the food. Disturbance of these protective
11.1 Introduction ..................................................................................................299 11.2 Gastrointestinal Diseases Related to Inammation .....................................300
