The gastrointestinal microbiome as a biological process encompasses the dynamic interactions, succession, and functional activities of microbial communities residing along the digestive tract and their continuous crosstalk with the host. It involves microbial colonization, competition, and cooperation; fermentation of dietary substrates; synthesis and biotransformation of metabolites such as short-chain fatty acids and bile acid derivatives; modulation of epithelial barrier integrity; and regulation of local and systemic immune responses. This process is characterized by context-dependent compositional shifts (e.g., in response to diet, xenobiotics, and inflammation) that influence host metabolism, signaling pathways, and susceptibility to gastrointestinal and extraintestinal diseases.
In the jungle of microbes living in your gut, there's one oddball that makes methane. This little-known methane-maker might play a role in how many calories you absorb from your food, according to a new study from Arizona ...
Cell & Microbiology
Jun 11, 2025
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150
Even if we can't see them, microorganisms are everywhere, inextricably linked to life on Earth at every level. They range from pathogenic bacteria and viruses that can make us sick to the microbes that live in the digestive ...
Ecology
Jun 11, 2025
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25
Nanoplastics can compromise intestinal integrity in mice by altering the interactions between the gut microbiome and the host, according to a paper in Nature Communications. The study explores the complex interactions of ...
Bio & Medicine
Jun 10, 2025
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77
Engineers at the University of California San Diego have developed a pill that releases microscopic robots, or microrobots, into the colon to treat inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). The experimental treatment, given orally, ...
Bio & Medicine
Jun 26, 2024
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105
A nanoemulsion containing particles of curcumin, which is known to have anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties, has been found capable of modulating the gut microbiota of mice with intestinal inflammation in experiments ...
Bio & Medicine
Mar 7, 2024
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143
Diagnosing and treating gastrointestinal tract diseases can be notoriously invasive and time-consuming: blood and stool lab work; biopsies, colonoscopies and endoscopies; and X-rays, CT scans and MRI imaging. But what if ...
Bio & Medicine
May 29, 2023
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142
Recently, a research team led by Prof. Chen Chunying from the National Center for Nanoscience and Technology (NCNST) of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) revealed that gut microbiota can ferment exogenous carbon nanomaterials ...
Bio & Medicine
May 19, 2023
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124
The intestinal or gut barrier is crucial for nutrient absorption and preventing harmful substances from leaking into the blood stream. Under diseased conditions, the disruption of the gut barrier may increase its permeability ...
Bio & Medicine
Apr 13, 2023
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122
The nanomaterial graphene oxide—which is used in everything from electronics to sensors for biomolecules—can indirectly affect the immune system via the gut microbiome, as shown in a new study on zebrafish by researchers ...
Bio & Medicine
Dec 12, 2022
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86
