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. Author manuscript; available in PMC: 2013 Dec 1.
Published in final edited form as: Nat Rev Gastroenterol Hepatol. 2013 Mar 12;10(6):352–361. doi: 10.1038/nrgastro.2013.35

Figure 3.

Figure 3

Mucus secretion from the colon surface epithelium and crypts during ischaemia and reperfusion. a ∣ Normal steady state renewal of the inner mucus layer by the surface goblet cells. This inner mucus layer is converted and expanded to the outer mucus layer. b ∣ Upon ischaemia the mucus layers are lost and bacteria can enter the crypt and epithelial cells. c ∣ Upon reperfusion, the crypt goblet cells release their stored mucins and a new inner and outer mucus layer are formed at the same time as the bacteria in the crypt are washed out. d ∣ After reperfusion, the crypt goblet cells remain emptied for several hours as repleneshing of the mucin granulae is slow. During this period, the tissue will be more vulnerable to another episode of ischemia.