HUMAN GUT MICROBES AND ITS INFLUENCE ON METABOLISM

This review presents the current understanding of the intestinal microbiota and its effect on the metabolism of the body. The information about the structure of the intestinal barrier and functions of its cellular elements is given. The dependence of the structure of microbial community on nutrients entering the gastrointestinal tract is shown. The influence of microbial imbalance on the production of free fatty acids, amino acids and other biologically active compounds in the gut, and the delivery of them into the human body may influence the course of pathological processes. We discuss the possibility of nutrients and metabolites accumulated by intestinal microflora to modulate the permeability of the intestinal barrier, influence the formation of pro-inflammatory cytokines which are specific for local and systemic immune response.