Patients with Crohn's disease have defects in intestinal epithelial permeability that are inadequately explained by known inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) susceptibility genes. E-cadherin (CDH1) plays a vital role in maintaining the integrity of the intestinal barrier and its cellular localisation is disrupted in patients with Crohn's disease.
Department of Pediatrics, Division of Gastroenterology, Hepatology, and Nutrition, Hospital for Sick Children, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.