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Crossing the Frontlines in Mucosal Immunity
How natural gut flora shape host immune development
The Scientist 2004, 18(14):30
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Commensal or nonpathogenic bacteria have established a mutually beneficial relationship with the host immune system that allows them to reside peacefully within the lumen of a healthy host's gut. Lumenal colonization by diverse commensal species is essential for host health, permitting processing of indigestible carbohydrates and preventing colonization by pathogenic bacteria. But it's a delicate balance. "How [does the gut] maintain the necessary bacterial concentration but not become inflamed?" asks Andrew Neish, a pathologist at Emory University School of Medicine in Atlanta.
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