The Gut Microbiome: An Overview

Abstract

As a rapidly growing field of research over the past two decades, the Gut Microbiome has emerged as an important player with an integral role in human body functions. Its perturbed function correlates with several diseases such as diabetes, obesity, liver dysfunction, degenerative conditions, and neurological conditions. Studies utilizing the technological advancements with multi-omics methodologies continue to allow the detection and identification of gut microbes and provide mechanistic insights into their functioning. This review provides an overall understanding of the gut microbiome, its function, and communication with the brain and liver via the gut-brain axis and gut-liver axis. This review further discusses its role in some of the common disease states and some ways to potentially modulate the gut microbiome.