The intestinal epithelium is a single cell barrier separating a sterile mucosal tissue from a
large microbial community dominated by obligate anaerobic bacteria, which inhabit the gut
lumen. To maintain mucosal integrity, any breach in the epithelial barrier needs to be met
with an inflammatory host response designed to repel microbial intruders from the tissue,
protect the mucosal surface and repair injuries to the epithelium. In addition, inflammation
induces mechanisms of nutritional immunity, which limit the availability of metals in the …