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Microbial biofilms in the human gastrointestinal tract
Abstract
The human gastrointestinal tract contains rich and diverse microbiotas along its length. However, while extensive studies have been made on lumenal bacterial communities in the gut, less work has been carried out on organisms growing in biofilms, where individual groups of bacteria exist in a multiplicity of different microhabitats and metabolic niches associated with the mucosa, the mucus layer and particulate surfaces in the gut lumen. Bacteria and yeasts also occur in biofilms attached to artificial surfaces and devices implanted in the host, such as in patients being fed via enteral tubes. Although we are just beginning to investigate the composition and metabolic activities of these structures, increasing evidence suggests that they are important to the host in both health and disease. There is mounting interest in mucosal biofilms in the colon, especially with respect to their role in inflammatory bowel disease. Because bacteria growing in biofilms are more resistant to antibiotics than unattached organisms, it is often difficult to modify the structure and composition of these communities, or to eradicate them from the body. However, recent work has shown that there is considerable potential to alter the species composition of mucosal biofilms in a beneficial way using synbiotics.
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“The size and quality of the intestinal mucus layer is believed to be mediated by sympathetic innervation where mucosal immune system modulation (Elenkov et al., 2000) and microbial composition and behavior alterations (commensal and pathogenic) were seen (Macfarlane and Dillon, 2007;Rhee et al., 2009)”
From The Microbiota-Gut-Brain Axis (2019) · cites this paper as Macfarlane and Dillon, 2007
In the citing paper
“The ANS-mediated modulation of mucus secretion is likely to have important effects on the size and quality of the intestinal mucus layer, an important habitat for the biofilm, where the majority of the enteric microbiota reside.19”
From Principles and clinical implications of the brain-gut-enteric microbiota axis (2009) · cites this paper as [19]
In the citing paper
“In general, bacteria located in the biofilm seem to be less affected by environmental alterations, such as changes in intestinal transit rate and luminal contents, than luminal populations are, but seem to have increased involvement in bidirectional signaling with the host.19”
From Principles and clinical implications of the brain-gut-enteric microbiota axis (2009) · cites this paper as [19]
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“In general, bacteria located in the biofilm seem to be less affected by environmental alterations, such as changes in intestinal transit rate and luminal contents, than luminal populations are, but seem to have increased involvement in bidirectional signaling with the host”
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Metadata
- Authors
- Macfarlane, S., & Dillon, J. F.
- Affiliations
- University of Dundee (GB)
- Corresponding author
- Macfarlane, S.
- Venue
- Journal of Applied Microbiology
- Publisher
- Oxford University Press (OUP)
- Published
- 2007-05
- Volume
- 102
- Issue
- 5
- Pages
- 1187-1196
- ISSN
- 1364-5072 (ISSN-L)
- 1365-2672
- OpenAlex
- W2041418306
- Cited by
- 379
- References
- 55
- Citations by year
- 2026: 11 · 2025: 10 · 2024: 20 · 2023: 26 · 2022: 24 · 2021: 25 · 2020: 28 · 2019: 31 · 2018: 22 · 2017: 26 · 2016: 14 · 2015: 17 · 2014: 32 · 2013: 16 · 2012: 20
- FWCI
- 0.98
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Journal of Applied Microbiology (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Discovery Research Portal (University of Dundee) (submittedVersion)
- Topics
- Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Molecular Biology › Bacterial biofilms and quorum sensing
- Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Molecular Biology › Gut microbiota and health
- Health Sciences › Dentistry › Periodontics › Oral microbiology and periodontitis research
- Keywords
- biofilm, gastrointestinal tract, gut microbiota, mucus layer, inflammatory bowel disease, antibiotic resistance, synbiotics
- MeSH terms
- Bacteria, Humans, Intestinal Mucosa, Biofilms, Probiotics, Gastrointestinal Tract
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