A nurse is reinforcing teaching to a group of newly licensed nurses about the pathophysiology of ulcerative colitis. Which of the following statements should the nurse include?

Brief Introduction: Ulcerative colitis is characterized by diffuse mucosal ulceration that originates in the rectum and extends proximally in a continuous fashion through the colon. The condition involves crypt abscesses and leads to the loss of haustral folds, colloquially known as lead-pipe colon on radiographic imaging. Rationale: A. The statement incorrectly describes the distribution of the disease, as ulcerative colitis is confined strictly to the large intestine. Crohn's disease is the condition that involves transmural inflammation occurring anywhere from the mouth to the anus with characteristic skip lesions. B. The pathophysiology of this disease involves an overactive immune response rather than an underproduction of inflammatory markers. Pro-inflammatory cytokines and interleukins are excessively produced, leading to the sustained destruction of the intestinal mucosa and subsequent bloody diarrhea. C. Toll-like receptors are essential for identifying commensal bacteria, but an excessive amount triggers an exaggerated inflammatory cascade in the colon. This immunological dysfunction compromises the epithelial barrier, allowing pathogens to infiltrate and cause chronic, relapsing tissue damage and ulceration. D. Increased motility and visceral hypersensitivity are the primary hallmarks of irritable bowel syndrome, which is a functional rather than structural disorder. Ulcerative colitis involves organic tissue changes, including friable mucosa and inflammatory polyps, which are not present in purely functional gut disturbances.