ABSTRACT
This chapter discusses the properties of mucosal biofilms and their interplay with host cells in affecting the overall health and disease condition of the host. Biofilms can exist on both abiotic and biotic surfaces under a wide spectrum of environmental and stress conditions. This kind of adaptability and survivability of biofilms is extremely beneficial during their colonisation of the human host surfaces. Biofilms in the large intestine are associated with food residues, and therefore the microbial species and their biochemical activities are governed mainly by diet. The epithelial lining in the small and large intestine is similar to that of the stomach but with an additional feature of villi in the small intestine. The gut mucosa is always covered by a layer of mucus secreted by goblet cells. Mucous secretory goblet cells usually lie parallel to the simple cuboidal cells such as in the Eustachian tube. Seromucinous glands are seen in the submucosa near the opening of the Eustachian tube.
