Editorial: The Role of the Gut Microbiota in Health and Inflammatory Diseases

Soon after birth, humans are colonized with a vast number of microbes, collectively termed the microbiota. Among the microbiota, commensal bacteria help shape and regulate a number of the host's physiological processes, including the immune system. Alterations in the gut microbial community (dysbiosis) have been linked with multiple diseases. Therefore, the identification of commensal bacteria that are depleted or enriched in the context of pathological conditions, and the mechanisms by which they predispose or protect from disease is an active area of research. In this collection, several articles discuss the biological factors and processes that are regulated by gut microbes, and the potential use of commensal bacteria as therapeutic agents to treat disease.