A comprehensive gene expression atlas of the human small intestine uncovers the secrets of nutrient absorption and defense against infection. “Our atlas provides answers to some basic research questions, but it can also be applied to clinical questions,” Prof. Shalev Itzkovitz says. “Now that we have mapped a healthy small intestine, we can start to further our understanding of the changes that it undergoes when it is diseased, when we age, when certain drugs are taken or when we are on a specific diet.”

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Navigating Digestive Tract
(l-r) Prof. Shalev Itzkovitz, Dr. Rouven Hoefflin, Dr. Oran Yakubovsky and Dr. Yotam Harnik

 

Mapping The Small Intestine
An image of tissue from the human small intestine obtained with the help of fluorescent dyes that made it possible to mark numerous proteins in parallel, thereby mapping out the various proteins produced in each part of the intestinal villi