[Intestinal fatty acid binding protein: marker of enterocyte damage in acute and chronic gastroenterological diseases].

Intestinal fatty acid binding protein, a small cytosolic protein abundantly present in mature enterocytes of small and large intestine, has proven to be a sensitive marker for damage to the intestinal epithelium. Upon cellular damage of the enterocyte, intestinal fatty acid binding protein is readily released into the systemic circulation, passes through the glomerular filter and can be detected in the urine. In this review, the authors review studies on the application of this protein as a biomarker in acute and chronic gastrointestinal diseases.