Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jan 5, 2026

Assessing the Viability of a Synthetic Bacterial Consortium on the In Vitro Gut Host-microbe Interface
10:24

Assessing the Viability of a Synthetic Bacterial Consortium on the In Vitro Gut Host-microbe Interface

Published on: July 4, 2018

12.1K

Bifidobacterial Dialogue With Its Human Host and Consequent Modulation of the Immune System

Giulia Alessandri1, Maria Cristina Ossiprandi1,2, John MacSharry3

  • 1Department of Veterinary Medical Science, University of Parma, Parma, Italy.

Frontiers in Immunology
|October 22, 2019
PubMed

Insights

Bifidobacteria, early gut colonizers, interact with the host immune system through secreted molecules and metabolic by-products. These interactions influence gut homeostasis and immune responses, promoting health.

Area of Science:

  • Microbiology
  • Immunology
  • Gastroenterology

Background:

  • Bifidobacteria are early colonizers of the infant gut.
  • They are known to promote health through various mechanisms.
  • Their interaction with the host immune system is crucial.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To provide a comprehensive overview of bifidobacteria's strategies for engaging the host immune system.
  • To elucidate the mechanisms of bifidobacteria-host immune system dialogue.

Main Methods:

  • Literature review of studies on bifidobacteria-host immune interactions.
  • Analysis of secreted and surface-associated molecules.
  • Investigation of carbohydrate metabolism by-products.

Main Results:

  • Bifidobacteria utilize secreted/surface molecules to interact with immune cells.
  • Metabolic by-products modulate host immune responses directly and indirectly.
  • These interactions influence gut homeostasis and immune responses.

Conclusions:

  • Bifidobacteria employ diverse strategies to modulate the host immune system.
  • Understanding these mechanisms is key to leveraging bifidobacteria for health benefits.

Keywords:
bifidobacteriahost interactionimmune systemimmunomodulationprobiotics

More Related Videos

An In Vitro Batch-culture Model to Estimate the Effects of Interventional Regimens on Human Fecal Microbiota07:15

An In Vitro Batch-culture Model to Estimate the Effects of Interventional Regimens on Human Fecal Microbiota

Published on: July 31, 2019

10.2K
Analysis of Interactions between Endobiotics and Human Gut Microbiota Using In Vitro Bath Fermentation Systems06:58

Analysis of Interactions between Endobiotics and Human Gut Microbiota Using In Vitro Bath Fermentation Systems

Published on: August 23, 2019

7.4K

Related Concept Videos

Defense Against Bacterial Pathogens01:31

Defense Against Bacterial Pathogens

The human immune system is a complex network of cells, tissues, and organs that work together to defend the body against bacterial infections. It consists of various immune cells, each playing a specific role in the defense mechanism.
Phagocytes
Phagocytes are the frontline soldiers of the immune system. They include neutrophils and macrophages. Neutrophils are the most abundant type of white blood cell and are quickly mobilized to the site of infection. Macrophages are larger cells that patrol...
2.5K
Factors Affecting the Risk of Infection01:26

Factors Affecting the Risk of Infection

The hosts' susceptibility to infection depends on several factors. The integrity of the skin and mucous membranes helps protect the body against microbial attacks. When the skin is altered, the chance of infection, limb loss, and even death increases.
The integrity and count of the white blood cells help the body resist pathogens and fight infection. When impaired, it reduces the body's resistance to pathogens. The acidic pH levels of the gastrointestinal, genitourinary tracts, and skin...
13.2K
Defense Mechanism Against Infection01:26

Defense Mechanism Against Infection

Natural flora, body system defenses, and inflammation are natural barriers of the body against infectious agents regardless of previous exposure. Normal floras of the human body refer to the microbial population that colonizes the skin and mucous membranes.
In addition, many body organ systems have unique defenses against infection. The skin is an intact, multilayered surface preventing invasion by microorganisms unless impaired. Mucous membranes lining the mouth, nose, and eyelids are barriers...
9.1K
Microorganisms in Medicine and Therapeutics01:29

Microorganisms in Medicine and Therapeutics

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.
905
Gene Regulation in Microbial Communities: Quorum Sensing01:28

Gene Regulation in Microbial Communities: Quorum Sensing

Quorum sensing is a mechanism of bacterial communication that enables coordinated gene expression in response to changes in population density. This facilitates collective behaviors that enhance survival, resource acquisition, and ecological adaptation. This process relies on small signaling molecules called autoinducers that accumulate as bacterial populations grow. When a critical threshold concentration of autoinducers is reached, bacterial cells collectively modify gene expression,...
449
Transduction01:16

Transduction

Among the three main modes of HGT—transformation, conjugation, and transduction—transduction is unique in that it is mediated by bacteriophages, or bacterial viruses.Transduction occurs in two ways. Generalized transduction occurs during the lytic cycle of a bacteriophage infection. In this process, bacteriophages infect bacterial cells, replicate within them, and ultimately cause cell lysis, releasing newly assembled virions. Occasionally, random fragments of the bacterial genome...
1.1K