COMPENDIUM ON FUNCTIONAL MEDICINE - Flipbook - Page 380
Paracellular Pathway Assessment
Measures antibodies to zonulin and occludin4proteins controlling
tight junctions between cells4indicating breakdown of
intercellular seals
Transcellular Pathway Evaluation
Detects antibodies to actomyosin proteins, suggesting damage to
cellular transport mechanisms within intestinal cells themselves
Bacterial Endotoxin Detection
Identifies immune responses to lipopolysaccharides (LPS),
confirming harmful bacterial fragments have already entered
circulation and triggered systemic immune activation
Early Warning System
Often reveals immune reactivity patterns months or years before
clinical symptoms of autoimmunity or neuroinflammation become
apparent
Clinical Significance of Intestinal Barrier Dysfunction
The implications of compromised intestinal barrier function extend
far beyond digestive symptoms, affecting virtually every body
system [8, 9].
Autoimmune Disease Trigger
Intestinal permeability often represents the first step in the
autoimmune progression, preceding tissue-specific autoimmunity
by months or years
Neuroinflammatory Pathway
Allows inflammatory molecules and bacterial toxins to enter
circulation, eventually compromising blood-brain barrier integrity
and cognitive function
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