When we think about nutrition, we almost always picture the same key players: the mouth, stomach, intestines, liver, pancreas and, perhaps, the gut microbiota. However, the human body is not made up of isolated compartments. Eating is not just about introducing food into the digestive tract, it also involves salivating, swallowing, transporting, distributing fluids, activating defences, moving fats through the lymph, connecting tissues and supporting organs.
In recent years, three body structures have attracted particular interest: the tubarial salivary glands, the interstitium and the mesentery. All three demonstrate that nutrition, hydration, absorption, transport, immunity and metabolism are closely linked.
