Figure 1.

Diet and the gut microbiota regulate gastrointestinal barrier in healthy gut and inflammatory bowel disease. Schematic representation of the influence of diet that may act directly on components of the gastrointestinal barrier and indirectly through shaping microbiota composition, function and its energy source. Some dietary compounds usually found in Mediterranean diet (green) may favor the gastrointestinal barrier, as opposed to the factors of Western-style diet (red). The impact of host-microbiota interactions at the gut lumen and mucus layer, epithelium and mucosal immune system is essential to balance the gastrointestinal barrier in contrast to the alterations underlying inflammatory bowel disease.