Evaluation of swine intestinal epithelial responses to luminal stimuli

Abstract

Gastrointestinal (GI) tract health or ‘gut health’ is synonymous with the overall health and wellbeing of all animals. Gut health is the result of multiple factors, including proper diet, effective digestion and absorption, adequate immune status, and optimal microbiome. The epithelium of GI tract acts as a barrier for the luminal contents and plays an important role in gut health. Understanding the intestinal epithelial responses to various luminal stimuli can help improve overall animal health, by providing insights for better diet design and for the development of alternative disease treatment and prevention strategies. In this dissertation, the effects of micronutrient supplementation and bacterial infection on the intestine and intestinal epithelium responses have been evaluated with L. intracellularis as a case study for bacterial luminal stimuli and dietary zinc (Zn) as a case study for nutrient stimuli.