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Related Concept Videos

Microorganisms in Medicine and Therapeutics01:29

Microorganisms in Medicine and Therapeutics

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Microorganisms play a fundamental role in vaccine development, gene therapy, and therapeutic production. Their biological properties are harnessed to advance medicine and public health. Beyond immunization, microorganisms contribute to gut health, antibiotic synthesis, and genetic disease treatment.Live Attenuated and Inactivated VaccinesLive attenuated vaccines, such as the measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccine, utilize weakened forms of pathogens to closely resemble natural infections.
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Introduction to the Human Microbiota01:22

Introduction to the Human Microbiota

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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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Functions of the Gut Microbiota01:18

Functions of the Gut Microbiota

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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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Development of Human Microbiota01:30

Development of Human Microbiota

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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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Probiotics01:22

Probiotics

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Probiotics are live, non-pathogenic microorganisms that confer health benefits by modulating the gut microbiota. The human gastrointestinal tract harbors a complex microbial ecosystem, and the balance of this microbiota is crucial for digestive and systemic health. Among the most extensively studied and utilized probiotics are species formerly classified within the genera Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium. These organisms not only naturally colonize the human gut but are also consumed through...
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The Oral Microbiota01:27

The Oral Microbiota

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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...
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Microbiome therapeutics - Advances and challenges.

Mark Mimee1, Robert J Citorik1, Timothy K Lu2

  • 1MIT Microbiology Program, 77 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, MA, USA; MIT Synthetic Biology Center, 500 Technology Square, Cambridge, MA, USA; The Center for Microbiome Informatics and Therapeutics, Cambridge, MA, USA.

Advanced Drug Delivery Reviews
|May 10, 2016
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Microbiome therapeutics harness human-associated microbes for health benefits. Strategies include engineered bacteria and selective antimicrobials, addressing challenges for next-generation cellular therapies.

Keywords:
BacteriophageHost-bacteria interactionsMicrobial ecologyMicrobiomeSynthetic biology

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Area of Science:

  • Microbiome research and therapeutic development.

Background:

  • The human microbiome significantly influences host health, impacting metabolism and immunity.
  • Therapeutics targeting the microbiota are rapidly advancing due to host-microbe associations.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review current strategies for manipulating the microbiota for therapeutic purposes.
  • To identify challenges and future directions in microbiome therapeutics development.

Main Methods:

  • Discussion of additive strategies (e.g., engineered bacteria, microbial consortia).
  • Discussion of subtractive strategies (e.g., selective antimicrobials).
  • Identification of key challenges in developing stable and safe microbiome therapies.

Main Results:

  • Engineered bacteria can produce therapeutic payloads.
  • Consortia of natural organisms and selective antimicrobials are viable manipulation tools.
  • Challenges include geographical adaptation, stable colonization, biosensor discovery, gene circuit robustness, and safety.

Conclusions:

  • Overcoming current challenges requires collaboration between researchers and clinicians.
  • Future microbiome therapeutics will involve directed augmentation of the human microbiota.
  • This field is poised for an era of next-generation cellular therapies.