Review article: distinctions between ileal and colonic Crohn's disease: from physiology to pathology

Summary Background Ileal and colonic Crohn's disease seem to be two separate entities. Aims To describe the main physiological distinctions between the small and the large intestine and to analyse the differences between ileal and colonic Crohn's disease. Methods The relevant literature was critically examined and synthesised. Results The small and large intestine have fundamental distinctions (anatomy, cellular populations, immune defence,...