Gianrico Farrugia

BACKGROUND: Enterochromaffin cells (ECs) are specialized gastrointestinal (GI) epithelial cells that transduce luminal forces and chemicals into release of signal molecules including serotonin (5-HT) to alter GI function including mucosal ion transport…

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Peptostreptococcus stomatis (_P. stomatis_) is an enriched bacterium in colorectal cancer (CRC) patients as compared to healthy subjects in multiple cohorts. However, the potential role of _P. stomatis_ in colorectal tumorigenesis remains obscure…

Phosphatase and tensin homolog (PTEN) is a lipid phosphatase, while its protein phosphatase activity is being suggested. Since the classical role of PTEN as a tumor suppressor is unclear in the gut, we hypothesize PTEN’s alternative function in regulating gut homeostasis…

Electrogastrography (EGG) non-invasively evaluates gastric motility but is widely viewed as lacking clinical utility…

This session will focus on intercellular signaling mechanisms between neurons and non-neuronal cells that control gut motor functions…

This session will focus on intercellular signaling mechanisms between neurons and non-neuronal cells that control gut motor functions…

BACKGROUND: Idiopathic gastroparesis (IG) is an increasingly prevalent subtype of gastroparesis and causes significant morbidity and decreased quality of life…

Background: Postoperative ileus (POI) is a common consequence of abdominal surgery and a neuroinflammation-based disorder of the gastrointestinal tract, which results in motility disturbances compromising patients' recovery…

The wiring of the enteric nervous system (ENS) is a dynamic process throughout development and adulthood. In the embryo, enteric neural crest derived cells expand and differentiate into the glia and neurons that form the ENS…

Paneth cells reside at the bottom of the crypts in the small intestine and are crucial for maintaining homeostasis of the epithelium by engendering host protection from enteric pathogens…

INTRODUCTION: _RAD21_encodes for cohesin complex molecules and acts in DNA repair of various cells, including central, peripheral and enteric neurons. We previously identified a novel missense _RAD21_mutation (p…

BACKGROUND: Muscularis macrophages (MMs) reside in the gut muscularis propria. A population of MMs share a phenotype with microglia and produce a large amount of Complement component 1qA (C1qa)…

BACKGROUND: Gastrointestinal (GI) motility disorders, such as chronic constipation, dysphagia, and fecal impaction, are more common in the elderly. In the vascular system, increased tissue stiffness with age is associated with a decline in contractile function of smooth muscle cells (SMCs)…

BACKGROUND: In irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), insufficient suppression of proteolytic activity (PA) leads to intestinal barrier disruption and visceral hypersensitivity. Our work shows host PA is suppressed by microbial β-glucuronidase (GUS) activity…

BACKGROUND: Approximately 15% of individuals develop post-infection irritable bowel syndrome (PI-IBS) after _Campylobacter_ infection. Our previous work shows 40% of PI-IBS patients have high fecal proteolytic activity (PA) and changes in microbiota composition…

BACKGROUND The gastrointestinal tract (GI) has a sense of _gut touch_ by which low threshold mechanical inputs activate mechanoreceptors similar to Merkel cells that mediate skin touch…

BACKGROUND: Interstitial cells of Cajal (ICC), electrically active cells found throughout the gastrointestinal tract, generate spontaneous electrical slow waves, and transmit these waves to smooth muscle cells in the gut to produce phasic contractions…