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World J Gastrointest Pathophysiol. Feb 15, 2014; 5(1): 18-32
Published online Feb 15, 2014. doi: 10.4291/wjgp.v5.i1.18
Published online Feb 15, 2014. doi: 10.4291/wjgp.v5.i1.18
Intestinal barrier: A gentlemen’s agreement between microbiota and immunity
Andrea Moro Caricilli, Angela Castoldi, Niels Olsen Saraiva Câmara, Department of Immunology, University of Sao Paulo, São Paulo, SP 05508-900, Brazil
Niels Olsen Saraiva Câmara, Department of Medicine, Federal University of Sao Paulo, Sao Paulo, SP 05508-900, Brazil
Author contributions: All the authors contributed equally in the writing of this manuscript.
Correspondence to: Niels Olsen Saraiva Câmara, Professor, Department of Medicine, Federal University of Sao Paulo, Avenida Lineu Prestes, 1730, Cidade Universitária, Sao Paulo, SP 05508-900, Brazil. niels@icb.usp.br
Telephone: +55-11-30917388 Fax: +55-11-30917224
Received: July 6, 2013
Revised: November 26, 2013
Accepted: January 13, 2014
Published online: February 15, 2014
Revised: November 26, 2013
Accepted: January 13, 2014
Published online: February 15, 2014
Core Tip
Core tip: Each of our bodies is colonized by more than a hundred trillion commensals, which include viruses, bacteria and fungi. The association between microbiota and their hosts is complex and has important repercussions for both. The diversity and the composition of the microbiota thus play a key role in the maintenance of intestinal homeostasis and the induction of immunity. These features partially explain the link between alterations in intestinal microbiota and gut-related disorders in humans. In this review, we provide an overview of the current understanding of the interaction between gut microbiota and the immune system in the development and maintenance of the intestinal barrier.