The Weill Cornell researchers studied more than 500 Crohn's disease patients and found that those who carry a homozygous mutation in the CX3CR1 gene have a reduced gut antifungal response much like that seen in the mice lacking CX3CR1
+ phagocytes.
This is opportunistic fungus called candida albicans (red) engulfed by CX3CR1
+ phagocytes (green) in the gut villi (blue).