| Theme |
Roles and Importance of Microbiota in Clinical Medicine |
| Title |
Physiological Role of Gut Microbiota -- What is "Normal" and "Abnormal" Gut Microbiota |
| Author |
Ryo Inoue |
Laboratory of Animal Science, Kyoto Prefectural University |
| Author |
Akira Andoh |
Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Medicine, Shiga University of Medical Science |
| [ Summary ] |
The gut microbiota plays protective, structural/immunological, and metabolic functions in host physiology. Alteration of these functions when the host‒microbe relationship is disrupted, a situation called dysbiosis, can have potential harmful effects.
The composition of the gut microbiota varies widely with age and geographic location. These differences should be taken into account when investigating changes in gut microbiota composition during a certain disorder. Gut microbiota function should be considered in addition to composition. It has recently become possible to analyze the mucosa‒associated microbiota, which is of great interest in both in health and in disease. |