Our data here characterizing Atg7 intestinal epithelial-specific knock-out mice are consistent with published roles of autophagy in the intestinal epithelium, where a loss of autophagy conjugation proteins including ATG5, ATG16 and ATG7, results in Paneth and goblet cell defects, minimally affects enterocytes, and mice do not develop enteritis unless a chemical or pathogenic agent is administered1,14. This evidence concerns the gene ATG7 and enteritis.