Alicia Barnett

Citation

Thesis Title
The interaction of probiotic bacteria and an oligosaccharide-enriched fraction from goat whey on in vitro intestinal barrier function and mucin production

Read article at Massey Research Online:

The gastrointestinal tract acts as a barrier between the external environment and the host. The physical barrier of the intestine is composed of a lining of epithelial cells, which is reinforced by a surface mucus layer. This barrier is a major site at which multiple interactions occur between the host, intestinal microorganisms, and fermentable carbohydrates (which transit relatively intact through the small intestine). Mrs Barnett developed and characterised epithelial cell co-culture models of the human intestinal barrier that closely simulate the cell proportions found in the human small and large intestine. Using these models, she showed that probiotic bacteria and an oligosaccharide-enriched preparation from goat whey (either alone or in combination) could enhance epithelial barrier integrity and mucin gene/protein expression, all of which are essential components of the intestinal barrier.

Supervisors
Dr Wc McNabb
Dr Adrian Cookson
Distinguished Professor Paul Moughan
Dr Nicole Roy