Related Experiment Video
Updated: Apr 19, 2026
05:27
An Intestinal Gut Organ Culture System for Analyzing Host-Microbiota Interactions
Published on: June 30, 2021
5.3K
The interplay between the intestinal microbiota and the immune system
Yuk Man Kevin Lei1, Lekha Nair1, Maria-Luisa Alegre1
1Section of Rheumatology, Department of Medicine, The University of Chicago, 924 E, 57th Street, 60637 Chicago, Illinois, USA.
Clinics and Research in Hepatology and Gastroenterology
|December 8, 2014
Summary
The gut microbiota significantly influences host physiology and immunity, impacting health and disease. Understanding this crosstalk offers new avenues for improving public health through microbial interventions.
Area of Science:
- Microbiology
- Immunology
- Host-Microbe Interactions
Background:
- Commensal microorganisms play a crucial role in host physiology and defense against pathogens.
- Host immune systems shape the composition of the gut microbiota.
- Intestinal microbiota alterations are linked to various disease states.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review the current understanding of microbiota/immune system crosstalk.
- To highlight the clinical consequences of microbiota dysbiosis.
- To explore strategies for leveraging this symbiotic relationship for public health benefits.
Main Methods:
- Literature review of existing research on microbiota and immune system interactions.
- Analysis of studies linking microbial composition to health and disease outcomes.
- Synthesis of information on potential therapeutic applications.
Main Results:
- The intricate crosstalk between the microbiota and immune system is fundamental to host health.
- Dysbiosis, or alterations in microbial communities, has significant implications for local and systemic immunity.
- Specific microbial compositions are associated with numerous disease states, including inflammatory and metabolic disorders.
Conclusions:
- Harnessing the microbiota-immune axis presents promising opportunities for novel therapeutic strategies.
- Further research into microbial modulation can lead to improved public health outcomes.
- Understanding host-microbe symbiosis is key to developing targeted interventions for disease prevention and treatment.
Related Concept Videos
01:18Functions of the Gut Microbiota
111
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...
111
01:27Microbiota of the Large Intestine
83
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...
83
01:27The Oral Microbiota
61
The oral microbiome includes a complex ecosystem comprising over 700 microbial species, identified through genomic sequencing and culture-based analyses to date. This community includes a core microbiome, found universally among individuals, and a variable component influenced by environmental factors such as diet, lifestyle, and host genetics. Site-specific conditions, including oxygen gradients, pH levels, and nutrient availability, determine the spatial distribution of these microorganisms...
61
01:22Introduction to the Human Microbiota
128
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,...
128
01:23Anatomy of the Intestines
92.7K
Although digestion of proteins, carbohydrates, and lipids may begin in the stomach, it is completed in the intestine. The absorption of nutrients, water, and electrolytes from food and drink also occurs in the intestine. The intestines can be divided into two structurally distinct organs—the small and large intestines.
Small Intestines
The small intestine is an ~7 meter-long tube with an inner diameter of just 2.5 cm. Since most nutrients are absorbed here, the inner lining of the...
Small Intestines
The small intestine is an ~7 meter-long tube with an inner diameter of just 2.5 cm. Since most nutrients are absorbed here, the inner lining of the...
92.7K
01:27Microbiota of the Stomach and Small Intestine
67
The human gastrointestinal (GI) tract is characterized by distinct physicochemical conditions that shape its microbial communities. Among these, the stomach presents a particularly challenging environment for microbial colonization due to its highly acidic pH, ranging from 1 to 3. This extreme acidity effectively limits microbial density. However, certain acid-tolerant microorganisms are capable of surviving in this niche. Notably, Helicobacter pylori can colonize the gastric mucosa,...
67