BPoD has moved!

BPoD has recently changed our domain name - we can now be found at bpod.org.uk

Please update your bookmarks!

Now in our 13th year of bringing you beautiful imagery from biomedical science every day

Search the archive of over 4000 images

Semi Colon

Lab model of intestine cellular structure complete with a mucus lining

08 January 2020

Semi Colon

Our gut plays host to a complex community of microorganisms, supporting many essential functions but also presenting risks from potential pathogens. To protect our tissues, the gut lining is coated in mucus, produced by specialised goblet cells. More than just a slimy coating, the mucus has structure, with an inner layer that completely excludes microbes, and a more permeable outer layer. Until recently, this bi-layered structure couldn't be reproduced in the laboratory, making mucus difficult to study. Yet scientists have now succeeded in culturing colon cells to re-create a miniature version of the gut lining, dubbed Colon Chip (pictured, with cell nuclei in blue, mucus granules in purple, and a brush border of microvilli, tiny cellular protrusions, in white). Effectively replicating the organisation of the human colon lining, it enables the production of a properly-structured mucus layer, providing new opportunities to examine the role of mucus in intestinal diseases.

Written by Emmanuelle Briolat

Search The Archive

Submit An Image

Follow on Tumblr

Follow on Instagram

What is BPoD?

BPoD stands for Biomedical Picture of the Day. Managed by the MRC Laboratory of Medical Sciences until Jul 2023, it is now run independently by a dedicated team of scientists and writers. The website aims to engage everyone, young and old, in the wonders of biology, and its influence on medicine. The ever-growing archive of more than 4000 research images documents over a decade of progress. Explore the collection and see what you discover. Images are kindly provided for inclusion on this website through the generosity of scientists across the globe.

Read More

BPoD is also available in Catalan at www.bpod.cat with translations by the University of Valencia.