Porcine intestinal goblet cells: Guardians of mucosal immunity and barrier function

Goblet cells are a type of secretory cell in the intestinal epithelium, characterized by their continuous production and secretion of mucin. Goblet cell-associated antigen passage (GAP)-mediated antigen presentation offers intestinal tolerance to innocuous luminal antigens and systemic resistance to infection. However, multiple factors can impair goblet cell abundance influencing mucin production in swine. Therefore, strategies aimed at maintaining porcine goblet cell homeostasis could provide an important role in the protection of gut health, ultimately enhancing porcine health and production performance. This review summarizes the current knowledge on porcine goblet cells, including methods of examination, their development and functions, and demonstrations of the presence of GAPs in the porcine small intestine. This review also lists the factors and nutrients that influence goblet cell homeostasis in swine production and discusses the potential roles of porcine goblet cells in nutrient digestion and absorption. Overall, this review highlights the importance of preserving the goblet cell-mediated portion of intestinal homeostasis and advances the understanding of porcine goblet cells, providing opportunities for the development of new methods to improve gut health in swine production.