When you think about your ideal neighborhood, perhaps you think of tree-lined streets or a close-knit community of people who help each other. You probably don’t think about your digestive system. But maybe you should. According to a team of scientists led by researchers at Stanford Medicine, the
These images are produced using advanced imaging techniques that enable us to study the cells found in the human intestine. By utilizing a combination of microscopy and robotic technology, these scientific visuals offer a window into the intricate world of cellular diversity. The various colors in the image represent specific molecules that are expressed within different cell types.
“This is the first time anyone has made a spatial map of the intestine at the single-cell level,” said Michael Snyder, PhD, professor and chair of genetics and co-senior author of the research, published July 19 in. “It was a bit like exploring a new planet, in that we didn’t know exactly what cell types we would find or how they would be organized.
“Our maps are intended to be a reference for a healthy intestine, with which we can compare everything from irritable bowel disease to early-stage colon cancer,” said Snyder, the Stanford W. Ascherman, MD, FACS Professor in Genetics. “This will be foundational for our understanding of all kinds of digestive diseases.
Some neighborhoods, such as the one dominated by smooth muscle cells became more common toward the end of the colon, while other neighborhoods composed primarily of immune cells became less common.In addition to creating a reference for healthy tissue, the new maps revealed some interesting clinical connections. For instance, the researchers found that donors with higher body mass index had a greatly increased number of M1 macrophages, a type of immune cell associated with inflammation.
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