Allen Institute Study Reveals How Gut Nerves Direct Immune Defense Against Parasites

In a new study published in Nature, researchers at the Allen Institute, alongside collaborators at Weill Cornell Medicine, found that pain-sensing nerves in the gut help the body fight parasitic worms. These nerves signal nearby tuft cells, which trigger a protective immune response that clears infection and repairs tissue. The findings reveal a direct link between the nervous and immune systems in the intestine.