Along with the skin, the gut mucosa represents the first line of defense against environmental factors. In the gut mucosa, a recently discovered type of lymphocytes called innate lymphoid cells (ILCs) maintain tissue homeostasis, orchestrate tolerance to food or commensal bacteria and contribute to immune responses to pathogens.

This Nature Video shows the complexity of ILC biology in the gut mucosa at steady state and disease.

Read more about ILCs here: http://www.nature.com/ni/focus/ILC

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