THE HUMAN MICROBIOME
The Invisible Network
About the Human microbiome
The Human Microbiome
The human microbiome is made up of the microbes that work together and live in the human body. The communities of millions of organisms that make up the human microbiome are called floras or microbiota.
The different types of floras are: skin, oral, gastrointestinal, and urogenital. According to Baylor College of Medicine, not much is known about these floras since "has not been possible to isolate the vast majority (>95%) of microorganisms and culture them, presumably because the required growth conditions have not or cannot be reproduced in the
A video by ConversationEDU explaining what the human microbiome is.
laboratory." [B.1]. However, it is known that they contribute to the body's health and maintenance. Understanding the microbiome can help scientists make links between certain diseases and the conditions of the microbiome.
Why Is It Important?
Studying the human microbiome and the trillions of bacteria within it, creates the foundation for understanding how the human body will respond to prescription medications, certain pathogens, and diets. By understanding the different domains of the human microbiome, scientists can know which course of treatments are best fit for individuals.
Baylor College of Medicine concludes that "there is not a single 'normal' or core microbiome; everyone has a personalized microbiome... nevertheless, different bacterial species may be doing similar jobs in different people." [B.1]