Dear Colleagues,

The gastrointestinal (GI) tract is a tubular system that comprises different organs from the mouth to anus and is widely known for its key role in food digestion and nutrient absorption. However, it plays a key role in many other essential functions, including acting as a physical barrier and endocrine and immune surveillance. It is a complex system whose wall is home to many different cell types organized in different layers: mucosa, submucosa, muscle layers, and serosa. The GI tract is intrinsically innervated by the enteric nervous system, comprising both neurons and glial cells in two plexuses, submucous and myenteric, with the latter regulating its motor function with the aid of pacemaker cells (interstitial cells of Cajal). Furthermore, it is also connected to the central nervous system through the parasympathetic and sympathetic branches of the autonomic nervous system, giving rise to the concept of the “brain–gut axis”, to which the hormonal influences and those of the gut microbiota also contribute. The GI tract and the brain–gut axis are considered essential for homeostasis and many factors may affect them, causing specific symptoms, diseases and disorders that need adequate treatments. In the last few years, the GI tract (and the brain–gut axis) has attracted much attention, and many researchers are looking at it in renewed and pluridisciplinary ways in order to improve the understanding of its physiopathology and to increase the offer of pharmacological tools to treat the conditions that affect it.

Thus, this Special Issue aims to collect high-quality manuscripts (preclinical and translational studies, reviews, systematic reviews, meta-analyses…) focused on the GI tract, its physiology, the diseases and disorders that affect it or affect the brain–gut axis, and, specially, new pharmacological approaches to treat them.

Prof. Dr. Raquel Abalo
Guest Editor

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• gastrointestinal (GI) tract
• brain-gut axis
• pacemaker cells