User:Solarys-fr/Gut flora
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Gut flora or gut microbiota is a complex community of microorganisms that live in the digestive tract of animals and humans.
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In this context, gut covers a wide meaning, because it refers not only to intestine but also to the rest of the digestive tract, including the mouth. Microflora is synonymous with microbiota. A related term, sometimes used interchangeably with gut microbiota, is gut microbiome, which refers to the aggregate of all of the genomes of gut microbiota. The genes these microorganisms encode form the metagenome,[1] known as the "second genome".[2][3] This collective genome is 150 times larger than the human genome.[4]
Microorganisms live on and inside the cavities of the human body[5] but the highest density and diversity of microorganisms is located in the human intestinal tract or gut,[5] which harbors 10*14 microorganisms per gram of intestinal content. The human gut contains hundreds of bacterial species and many times more genes than are found in the human genome.[6]
The metabolic activities performed by these bacteria resemble those of an organ, leading researchers to consider gut microbiota as a "forgotten" or "hidden" organ.[7][8][5]
Research into the association between the gut microbiota and health has increased in recent years and continues to expand.[9][5]
The gut microbiota interacts with the host: locally with the mucosa and the intestinal barrier as well as the immune system and, thus, with the whole body. The gut microbiota may influence the development of several diseases[1] and plays a central role in human health.[9][5][6]
While an individual's inherited genes are fixed, one's second genome is changing constantly according to age, as well as diet and environmental factors.[3]