TY - JOUR AU - Kurashima, Yosuke AU - Yamamoto, Daiki AU - Nelson, Sean AU - Uematsu, Satoshi AU - Ernst, Peter B. AU - Nakayama, Toshinori AU - Kiyono, Hiroshi PY - 2017 M3 - Mini Review TI - Mucosal Mesenchymal Cells: Secondary Barrier and Peripheral Educator for the Gut Immune System JO - Frontiers in Immunology UR - https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fimmu.2017.01787 VL - 8 SN - 1664-3224 N2 - Stromal connective tissue contains mesenchymal cells, including fibroblasts and myofibroblasts, which line the tissue structure. However, it has been identified that the function of mesenchymal cells is not just structural—they also play critical roles in the creation and regulation of intestinal homeostasis. Thus, mucosal mesenchymal cells instruct intestinal immune cell education (or peripheral immune education) and epithelial cell differentiation thereby shaping the local environment of the mucosal immune system. Malfunction of the mesenchymal cell-mediated instruction system (e.g., fibrosis) leads to pathological conditions such as intestinal stricture. ER -