‘Normal’ bacteria vital for keeping intestinal lining intact

Scientists at Albert Einstein College of Medicine of Yeshiva University have found that bacteria that aid in digestion help keep the intestinal lining intact. The findings could yield new therapies for inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and a wide range of other disorders.

Sridhar Mani, M.D.The research involved the intestinal microbiome, which contains some 100 trillion bacteria. The role of these microorganisms in promoting or preventing disease is a major emerging field of study. Einstein scientists found that absorption of a specific bacterial by-product is crucial for maintaining the integrity of the intestinal epithelium