Infection kills gut cells, while diet reshapes existing ones, fruit fly study finds

Phys.org reports that a new Cornell study using fruit flies found infections wipe out intestinal cells, while changes in diet cause the remaining cells to reshape themselves. The researchers say the gut deploys different rebuilding tactics depending on whether it’s battling pathogens or adjusting to new nutrients. Understanding these distinct responses may inform how human gut health copes with microbes and dietary shifts.

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