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Paneth cell
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The Paneth cell lives in the crypts of Lieberkühn, the pits in the intestinal epithelium: small wells that sink into the lining of the intestine, where that lining renews itself without stopping.
From there it secretes antimicrobial peptides, short molecules that attack microbes, and among them are the defensins and lysozyme. It also releases growth factors, enzymes and cytokines, which are chemical messages between cells. Those peptides regulate the gut microbiota, the population of bacteria that lives in the intestine, and they modulate inflammation. It is the guard at the bottom of the well, deciding who lives above.
It is not a cell from another lineage: it arises from the stem cells of the crypt, the same ones that give rise to enterocytes, goblet cells and enteroendocrine cells.
In brief
The Paneth cell lives in the crypts of Lieberkühn, the pits in the intestinal epithelium where the lining renews itself continuously.
It secretes antimicrobial peptides such as defensins and lysozyme, along with growth factors, enzymes and cytokines, and those peptides regulate the gut microbiota and modulate inflammation.
It is the guard at the bottom of the well, deciding who lives above.
It arises from crypt stem cells, the same source as enterocytes, goblet cells and enteroendocrine cells.
Sources (2)
- National Center for Biotechnology Information, StatPearls PublishingAnatomy, Abdomen and Pelvis, Small Intestine, StatPearlsPublished
- National Center for Biotechnology Information, StatPearls PublishingPhysiology, Nutrient Absorption, StatPearlsPublished
This page explains the topic in general terms; it does not tell anyone what treatment to follow.
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