Immunology
An editorial overview will allude to reports over the past 12 months that demonstrate the mechanisms by which bacterial components protect against inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and allergy.
Abstract
Introduction The past year has seen major advances in our understanding of how commensal bacteria in the intestine modify clinical disorders of daily importance to the gastroenterologist. This editorial overview will allude to reports over the past 12 months that demonstrate the mechanisms by which bacterial components protect against inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and allergy. Furthermore, bacteria have recently been shown to regulate the development of the immune system. Finally commensals also affect fat deposition, and while obesity is not strictly a gastrointestinal disease, its prevalence in modern society is such that experiments showing how commensal bacteria may affect it are of interest to the gastroenterologist.