The Physiological aspects of Gut Microbiota

The gut microbiota is an extremely active and dynamic community of microorganisms inhabiting the human GI tract, powerfully influencing the host in health and illness. It starts to emerge in infancy for multiple reasons; however, it is considered one of the chief factors that shape gut microbiota throughout life. Intestinal bacteria play a role in maintaining the metabolic and immunological balances in place and providing defence against infections. A lack of balance of gut bacterial composition has been associated with a wide variety of inflammatory diseases and infections, referred to as dysbiosis. In order to understand such findings, several points must be addressed: the differences between people, heterogeneity of populations along the gastrointestinal tract, functional redundancy of populations, and the distinction between cause and effect in the context of dysbiosis. The review underlines the necessity of mechanistic research into host-microbe interactions and summarizes them against the background of our current knowledge about the evolution and composition of the human gastrointestinal microbiota, including the impact on integrity and health in the gut.