The Microbial Health Factor

Just one molecule can make the difference in mediating a healthy immune
response. Surprisingly, it comes from bacteria. Trillions of commensal
bacteria cover almost all environmentally exposed surfaces of our bodies
at all times. But what are they doing? And why?

The Human Microbiome Project, an undertaking funded by the National
Institutes of Health (NIH) to sequence the microbiota from hundreds of
humans, has challenged itself with determining the relative quantities of
all bacteria present in the human gut.

With a known baseline of the bacteria present in healthy individuals, it
will be much easier to understand which bacteria might be missing in
diseased patients. Hopefully, the Human Microbiome Project will lead to
the discovery of other beneficial bacteria.

http://www.the-scientist.com/2009/08/1/34/1/

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