New Perspectives on Paracrine IL-18 Signaling in the Intestinal Epithelium.

Summary: Your gut is lined with special cells that act like a protective wall. Inside these cells is a warning signal called IL-18. When the gut wall gets damaged, the cells activate this signal. It gets pushed out through tiny holes to warn other nearby cells. This local alarm system helps your body know there is a problem so it can protect the intestines and start fixing the gut.