Changes

==Mucosal tolerance==

==Mucosal tolerance==

Mucosal tolerance is the systemic unresponsiveness towards antigens administered across the mucosal surfaces

Mucosal tolerance is the systemic unresponsiveness towards antigens administered across mucosal surfaces. The highest antigenic load of the body surfaces occurs in the GI tract, so mucosal tolerance is also sometimes referred to as oral tolerance. When oral tolerance towards food antigens breaks down, inflammatory responses are induced. Gut associated lymphoid tissue is important in the development of oral tolerance: animals that lack Peyer’s patches and mesenteric lymph nodes do not develop oral tolerance. It is thought the liver and spleen may also play a role.

*As the highest antigenic load of the body surfaces occurs in the GI tract, it is also known as oral tolerance

*When oral tolerance towards food antigens breaks down, inflammatory autoimmune responses are induced

*Gut associated lymphoid tissue is important for developing oral tolerance:

**Animals that lack Peyer’s patches and mesenteric lymph nodes do not develop oral tolerance

**It is thought the liver and spleen may also play a role

===Mechanisms===

===Mechanisms===