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Introduction to the Human Microbiota01:22

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Microorganisms colonize various regions of the human body, including the mouth, nasal passages, throat, stomach, intestines, urogenital tract, and skin. The total number of microbial cells is estimated to range from 10¹³ to 10¹⁴—comparable to, or exceeding, the number of human somatic cells. This host–microbiome relationship has led to the conceptualization of humans as supraorganisms, wherein microbial communities perform vital roles in development, immunity,...
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Microbial ecology examines the complex web of interactions and diversity among microorganisms within various ecosystems. This field seeks to understand how microbial populations adapt to and influence their environments and how these interactions shape broader ecological processes. Microbes are integral to ecosystem function, participating in nutrient cycling, energy flow, and the maintenance of environmental homeostasis.An ecosystem represents a dynamic interaction between living organisms...
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The human skin serves as a complex ecosystem inhabited by a diverse community of microorganisms, including bacteria, fungi, and viruses. This microbiome plays a critical role in maintaining skin health and defending against pathogenic invaders. The composition of microbial communities varies significantly across different regions of the body, influenced primarily by the local levels of moisture and sebum.Regional Variation in Skin MicrobiotaCutibacterium acnes predominantly colonizes sebaceous...
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The large intestine hosts the most densely populated microbial ecosystem in the human body. This complex community primarily consists of anaerobic bacteria, with Bacillota (formerly Firmicutes) and Bacteroidota (formerly Bacteroidetes) as the predominant groups. The distribution of these microbes varies along different sections of the large intestine, influenced by local environmental factors such as oxygen availability and nutrient composition.The cecum, located at the beginning of the large...
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The gut microbiota includes trillions of microorganisms that colonize the human gastrointestinal tract, including bacteria, archaea, viruses, and fungi. This complex ecosystem plays a critical role in maintaining intestinal and systemic health. Most of these microbes inhabit the large intestine, establishing a relatively stable and diverse community that contributes to gut homeostasis through various metabolic, immunological, and protective mechanisms.Dominant bacterial phyla, such as...
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The human microbiota begins developing at birth and undergoes continual change as we age. Infancy marks a critical period of microbial sensitivity, offering a “window of opportunity” during which beneficial microbes help mature the immune system. By age three, children typically develop a more stable and diverse microbial community. Newborns acquire microbes from their immediate environment; vaginal delivery favors maternal vaginal microbes, while cesarean births favor microbes from...
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The dynamic microbiome.

Georg K Gerber1

  • 1Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Department of Pathology, Center for Clinical and Translational Metagenomics, 221 Longwood Avenue, EBRC 422B, Boston, MA 02115, United States.

FEBS Letters
|March 4, 2014
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Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

The human microbiome is dynamic, changing with age, diet, and health. Understanding these microbial community shifts is crucial for health and disease, especially with new research methods.

Keywords:
Computational modelDynamicLongitudinalMicrobiomeTime-series

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Area of Science:

  • Microbiology
  • Computational Biology
  • Human Health

Background:

  • The human microbiome, comprising microbial communities in the body, is dynamic and changes throughout life.
  • These microbial shifts are influenced by factors like age, diet, illness, and medical interventions.
  • The microbiome impacts host health, potentially promoting wellness or disease (dysbiosis).

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review key research areas in microbiome dynamics.
  • To highlight advancements in studying microbial community changes.
  • To discuss computational challenges and future directions in microbiome data analysis.

Main Methods:

  • Review of recent technological advances in microbiome research.
  • Analysis of studies on microbiome establishment in early childhood.
  • Examination of temporal variability in adult microbiomes.
  • Investigation of microbiome responses to perturbations (antibiotics, diet).
  • Prospective studies linking microbiome changes to host disease.

Main Results:

  • Technological advances allow detailed microbiome dynamics studies.
  • Microbiome composition varies significantly with age, diet, and interventions.
  • Dysbiosis is linked to increased disease susceptibility.
  • Computational methods are essential for analyzing complex microbiome time-series data.

Conclusions:

  • Microbiome dynamics are central to human health and disease.
  • Further research is needed to understand host-microbiome interactions.
  • Advancements in computational methods are critical for future microbiome research.