MICROBIOTA
GASTROINTESTINAL
Jesús Abraham Armenta Gonzalez
what is the intestinal microbiota?
The human digestive tract is home to
a large population (100 billion),
mainly bacteria, but also archaea,
fungi, viruses and eukaryotes (or
protozoa),
which have been adapted to life on
mucosal surfaces or in the lumen of
the intestine for millennia.
factors on which we can act:
• feeding modes (breast milk, infant formulas and introduction of solid
foods);
• drugs (antibiotics, antacids, antidiabetics, etc.);
• eating habits and ways of cooking;
• our environment and our way of life (rural vs. urban environment; physical
activity);
• weight gain.
factors on which we cannot act directly:
• a genetic;
• the anatomical component of the intestinal tract
(e.g., the microbial diversity of the intestine is
greater than that of the small intestine);
• gestational age (preterm versus term delivery);
• mode of birth (vaginal versus cesarean delivery);
• age.
functions of the intestinal microbiota
Defense:
Defends us against harmful microorganisms.
Teaches the immune system to distinguish between friend and foe.
It degrades toxins.
Nutrition:
Allows digestion of certain foods (such as dietary fibers) that humans cannot digest.
When the intestinal microbiota breaks down dietary fibers, it produces important molecules (short-chain fatty acids, for example) whose benefits go beyond
the intestine.
It facilitates the absorption of minerals (magnesium, calcium and iron).
It synthesizes certain essential vitamins (vitamin K and folate [B9]) and amino acids (i.e., the foods that make up proteins).
Behavior:
May influence mood and behavior.
CONCLUSION
The human gut harbors a diverse community of commensal bacteria, in a
symbiotic relationship with the host, thereby permanently influencing its
physiology.
There is clear evidence that bacteria-host interactions in the gut mucosa play
a very important role in the development and regulation of the immune
system. If this interaction is not adequate, the homeostasis between the
environmental antigenic load and the individual's response may fail.
This can result in the development of pathologies of immune dysregulation
against one's own antigenic structures (autoimmunity), including one's own
microflora (inflammatory bowel disease), or antigenic structures from the
environment (atopy).
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