Enteric glial cells (EGCs), an important component of the enteric nervous system, are a group of cells that inhabit in the intestinal wall to maintain intestinal homeostasis. This article describes EGCs, intestinal barrier function and their interrelationships. EGCs are widely distributed in the all intestinal tract, but mainly concentrated in the intermuscular and submucosal nerve plexus. In the submucosal nerve plexus, EGCs extends from the submucosa to the intestinal mucosal layer by surrounding neuronal bodies and axons as well as blood microvessels. Because the EGCs in the submucosal nerve plexus are the closest to the intestinal epithelial cells, they also have the most significant effect on the intestinal barrier. EGCs regulate intestinal barrier function by secreting factors that inhibit intestinal inflammatory and up‑regulate expression of tight junction protein. Multiple factors can affect the activity of EGCs. Optimizing the regulation of EGCs activity becomes an important means to protect the intestinal barrier of patients.