celiac disease

What is celiac disease? Celiac disease is a widespread autoimmune disorder of the small intestine that occurs in genetically predisposed people of all ages from middle infancy onward. Celiac disease is caused by a reaction to gliadin, a prolamin (gluten protein) found in wheat, and similar proteins found in the crops of the tribe Triticeae (which includes other cultivars such as barley and rye). Upon exposure to gliadin, and certain other prolamins, the enzyme tissue transglutaminase modifies the protein, and [...]