Intestinal bacterium

Intestinal bacteria, collectively known as gut microbiota or gut flora, constitute a complex and dynamic community of mostly bacteria residing in the human gastrointestinal tract. They play critical roles in metabolism, immune modulation, protection from pathogens, and maintenance of intestinal integrity. The microbiota is dominated by two phyla, Firmicutes and Bacteroidetes, but also includes Actinobacteria, Proteobacteria, and others. There are thousands of bacterial species, but the functional capacity of the microbiota is often more conserved than its precise taxonomic composition. Disruptions in the intestinal microbiota (dysbiosis) are linked to various diseases, including inflammatory, infectious, metabolic, and neoplastic disorders. Note: "Intestinal bacteria" is not a single molecule, protein, or receptor, and thus does not conform to standard definitions of a therapeutic "target". The use of this term as a therapeutic or pharmacological target is scientifically imprecise and should instead refer to a specific bacterial genus, species, or molecular component.

Other names

intestinal microbiotagut bacteriagut microbiotagut floragastrointestinal bacteria

Modification of community composition (e.g., with antibiotics, probiotics) Suppression of pathogenic bacteria Stimulation of beneficial metabolite production