Molecular morphology of the digestive tract; macromolecules and food allergens are transferred intact across the intestinal absorptive cells during the neonatal-suckling period

Food allergies represent an important medical problem throughout the developed world. The epithelium of the digestive tract is an important area of contact between the organism and its external environment. Accordingly, we must reconsider the transport of intestinal transepithelial macromolecules, including food allergens, in vivo. The intestinal epithelium of the neonatal-suckling rat is a useful model system for studies into endocytosis and transcytosis. Macromolecules and food allergens can be transferred intact with maternal immunoglobulins across the absorptive cells of duodenum and jejunum during the neonatal-suckling period. This review summarizes these observations as well as our recent molecular morphological studies.