Unique Microorganisms In The Human Body

Superior Essays
Unique microorganisms reside on and within tissues and body fluids of mammals, and are known as the commensal microbiota. It is estimated that the human body contains 3x1013 eukaryotic cells and 4x1013 bacteria (1). By early adulthood host cells are outnumbered by microbial species by 100 fold (2). These microbes are far from neutral bystanders, and are suspected to influence the developing immune system in responses from cytokine balance, to lymphocyte responses, to antibody induction (3). In utero, mammals are essentially sterile, and colonization by these microbes begins at birth, and expands throughout life as the host is exposed to foreign organisms through their environment (4). Because each person’s exposure may differ with their unique …show more content…
Germ free animal studies show that beings lacking a microbiome have underdeveloped immune systems (7). Germ free animals have noticeable defects in their spleen, thymus, lymph nodes, and other lymphoid tissues (1). The introduction of commensal microorganisms have shown increased helper T cell levels, induced immunoglobulin A antibody production, and development of organized lymphoid tissues of previously uncolonized organisms (7).The balance of helper T cell subsets (TH1 and TH2) can be restored to near normal levels when germ free mice are colonized with bacteria containing polysaccharide A (PSA) (2). Some germ free mice have impaired innate lymphoid cells, which are lymphoid cells that lack both a B and T cell receptor, and therefore have decreased levels of interleukin 22 (IL-22), which is a critical cytokine during the opsonization of microbes in the small intestine (1). Under germ free conditions there are also reductions in the levels of helper T cells in the small intestine (8). Although not much is known about how commensal bacteria effect host immunity, there are specifc microorganisms, like Bacteroides fragilis, that are known to be potent immune modulators (7). Colonizing germ free mice with species like Bacteroides fragilis has been shown to restore TH17 cell levels to that of animals with standard microbial colonization (9). There are, however, studies that show germ free mice that were colonized with microbes later in life have different adult transcriptional profiles than mice missing only one specific pathogen (1). This suggests that if microbial colonization does not occur during a specific early-life time frame, the implications to immune development may be irreversible and may lead to an adult immune system that is not fully functional, or even potentially

Related Documents

  • Brilliant Essays

    90 % Prokaryotic Analysis

    • 1414 Words
    • 6 Pages

    Natalie Buttaccio Biol 251 Oliphant January 20, 2017 1. According to Bonnie Bassler in the video TedTalk, the human body is considered 90% prokaryotic because there are ten times more bacterial cells than human cells on a human being. Humans have approximately 30,000 genes, but you actually have ten times more bacterial genes. Bassler considers humans about 90% bacterial. These bacterial cells literally almost do everything, from digesting our food, making our vitamins, keeping us healthy, etc.…

    • 1414 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Brilliant Essays
  • Improved Essays

    A total of four microorganisms were isolated from the sample brought back from Mars. To identify the microorganisms which were isolated from the sample brought back from Mars, an rDNA sequence analysis was required. Every sequence had an S_ab score of 1.000 meaning the sequence is identical to the microorganism that it was matched to. Before gathering phenotypic results, we gathered phylogenetic data for the four microorganisms which includes Micrococcus luteus, Citrobacter freundii, Hafnia alvei, and Staphylococcus epidermidis. Micrococcus luteus is a gram positive, coccus shaped microorganism that is nonmotile and unable to grow on glucose minimal media or simmons citrate agar (Kocur, 1972;).…

    • 963 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Great Essays

    Bsb301 Task 1 Essay

    • 1299 Words
    • 6 Pages

    Assessment Task 1 CASE STUDIES Learning outcomes measured: Describe the diverse groups of microorganisms associated with the human body, the impact of specific microorganisms on human health, and the body's responses to microbial pathogens Research and interpret the signs and symptoms of disease, the transmission of infectious diseases, and the appropriate infection control procedures to employ for a specific microbial pathogen Length: Short answer responses up to 300 words per question Estimated time to complete task: 1-2 hours per case study Weighting: 35 % Individual/Group: Individual Authentic Assessment: 0Yes 1 No Formative/Summative: Summative…

    • 1299 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Great Essays
  • Superior Essays

    It is the most abundant bacteria in the gastrointestinal tract of humans and other mammals. “Most strains are harmless, colonizing the intestines of healthy humans and animals, where they suppress the growth of pathogenic bacterial species and synthesize appreciable amounts of vitamin K…

    • 785 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Superior Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Unknown Bacteria

    • 1727 Words
    • 7 Pages

    When it derives to contemplating out an unknown bacterial species the whole purpose is to benefit us in order to better understand what this species is capable of. Throughout a general basis of identifying an unknown species we must figure out either it will become a gram-positive or gram-negative type of bacteria and in doing so we must do a gram staining method. This method works because it will direct us to what test we can do next based off either it is negative or positive bacteria, which is exactly what I had done for my unknown. These experiments are not just done without a reason; on the contrary, it is very important to identify these unknown bacterial organisms. For instance, in a medical point of view when becoming very sick to the…

    • 1727 Words
    • 7 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Superior Essays

    Unknown Microorganism

    • 1849 Words
    • 8 Pages

    The purpose of performing physiological tests is to figure out certain characteristics of microorganisms or to reach a conclusion on what an unknown microorganism is. It can be also used to determine what is needed for bacteria to be cultured in or on certain media. Culture media can either be liquid or solid, and they can be used to identify certain characteristics of different bacterial species. This is indicated by the growth or lack of growth in or on certain media. Solid media can also be used to isolate organisms and provide a means to observe their morphology (Wiley 55).…

    • 1849 Words
    • 8 Pages
    Superior Essays
  • Great Essays

    Brandy Lauder Case Study

    • 1480 Words
    • 6 Pages

    Normal flora compete with pathogens for microenvironments (Singh and Kapoor 65). Microbial richness is often an indicator of health, with health adults having a vast, richness of bacterial/microbial diversity where as reduced bacterial diversity have been linked to obesity, immune-related, and inflammatory diseases. These benefits include polysaccharide digestion, immune system development, defense against infections, synthesis of vitamins, fat storage, angiogenesis regulation, and behavior development (D 'Argenio 98-101). It would be expected that the bacteria that reside in the colon use the remainder of the food that is not digested and absorbed by an individual in the small intestine. As mentioned earlier one of the benefits of having bacteria in the gut is polysaccharide digestion, meaning that polysaccharides that are not able to be digested with the enzymes produced by a person would remain in the food until it reaches the colon and could be processed by the bacteria that reside there (D 'Argenio 98).…

    • 1480 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Great Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Unknown Bacteria

    • 854 Words
    • 4 Pages

    Introduction Our world is composed of many bacteria that can either help or destroy us. Therefore, its’s imperative to learn and study them. The purpose of the lab was to put into action the methods learned in the laboratory to determine our unknown bacteria. Bacteria can have different features, shapes, and or arrangements that help microbiologist differentiate them.…

    • 854 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Superior Essays

    Crawford only sticks to speaking about how microbes are bad since they have caused diseases, famine and what not. However, readers should also know that there are more good microbes than bad. It is important to know the beneficial microbes and should not be in fear of microbes. Good microbes are in foods like cheese and yogurt along with vaccines. But Crawford has painted this image that microbes have shaped our history only because of the awful diseases its created.…

    • 1104 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Superior Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Microbes In Microbiology

    • 1062 Words
    • 4 Pages

    Introduction Identifying microbes are important for working in the medical fields and also for research. Physical and cellular processes are ways in which microbes can be identified. A series of test were done to identify an unknown microbe labeled 5. Based on observation and the results conclusion was made to identify the bacteria as Enterobacter aerogenes.…

    • 1062 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    The encounter of pathogens throughout human evolution and periods of migration results in an unfavorable relationship between the two species. As Karlsson, Kwiatkowski, and Sabeti write in their article, Natural Selection and Infectious Disease in Human Populations, it is known that the ancient relationship impacts pathogenic tendencies within humans today. In the article, the authors visit the genetics of various infectious and dangerous diseases, as well as common and less threatening diseases within the human species. They also look at geographical origin of various human pathogens, as well as a historical timeline of pathogenic introduction into humans. The authors introduce the article by discussing host genetics and their susceptibility to pathogens depending on their make up.…

    • 565 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Decent Essays

    Critical Supplements

    • 476 Words
    • 2 Pages

    The quality of gut flora impacts digestion, metabolism, and the immune system1. This is where probiotics become useful- the human microbiome is influenced by diet and environmental…

    • 476 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Decent Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Gut Microbiota

    • 621 Words
    • 3 Pages

    Despite the unique bacterial combination of each individual, there seems to be, a specific balance to reach in order for it to be beneficial to our health. It is also suggested, that a decrease in the desirable gastrointestinal bacteria will lead to deterioration in the gastrointestinal neuroendocrine, or immune relationships and lead to…

    • 621 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Wound Infection

    • 630 Words
    • 3 Pages

    The use of probiotics as an alternative therapy for treatment and prevention of bacterial infections has been reported (Bomba et al., 2006). Gorbach (2000) pointed out there is a growing interest in probiotics as a safe therapeutic agent through their ability to alleviate food allergies, enhance nonspecific and specific immune responses, suppress intestinal infections, and anticarcinogenic activity (Grajek et al., 2005). According to Doron and Gorbach, (2006) probiotics possess many mechanisms to exert their beneficial effects; they prevent colonization, cellular adhesion, invasion by pathogenic organisms, they have antimicrobial activity, and they modulate the host immune response.…

    • 630 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Child Allergies

    • 807 Words
    • 4 Pages

    Child Allergies During the first few crucial years of life, many new things change for a child. A child begins to understand new things, there is an increase in their vocabulary, and they develop the ability to communicate with others. A child’s eating habits will also begin to change. Children can become pickier eaters; they must have a certain food or have that food prepared in a particular manner. As a parent you must be equipped with all of the tools that it may require to care for your child.…

    • 807 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays

Related Topics