Introduction In the past two decades, DNA-based technologies have identified a myriad of difficult-to-culture microbes in the human body, including the gastrointestinal tract, skin, vaginal tract, urethra, and reproductive tract. In addition to the DNA-based technologies, newly developed bioinformatics are…
Introduction The developing gastrointestinal (GI) tract is the largest and most active immune organ of the body and supports important endocrine and exocrine roles in addition to its role for digestion. It encompasses a large mass of neural tissue that…
Summary Necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) is a devastating disease of the gastrointestinal tract that affects mostly premature infants. It is the most significant contributor of gastrointestinal morbidity and mortality in preterm infants. NEC was first described over 60 years ago but…
Key Points What we have termed “necrotizing enterocolitis” (NEC) is not a discrete entity but, rather, a manifestation of different forms of intestinal injury that can lead to intestinal necrosis. To make progress in terms of prevention, a better delineation…
Key points 1. Integration of different “omics” such as microbiome, metabolome, and proteome provides opportunities to more closely evaluate mechanisms of action leading to disease processes as well as provide biomarkers for future diagnostics and therapeutics. 2. Technologies are being…
Key points 1. Many of today’s nutritional guidelines for preterm infants are based on clinical judgment, an evidence base that relies on observational and randomized trials, and some basic scientific studies that aim to meet the needs of the mean…
Key points In addition to nutrients, human milk contains myriad bioactive components that promote development of neonatal intestinal immunity. A range of bioactive proteins in human milk function in protection against infection, immunomodulation, and nutrient utilization. Human milk growth factors…
Key points 1. Bidirectional signaling occurs between the brain and intestine. 2. Microbes in the intestinal tract play a major role in the regulation of this signaling. 3. Disruption of these signaling processes can have a major effect on brain…
Key points 1. Exposure of the intestine to certain microbes and/or their components and metabolites has implications for the future health of the individual as well as implications across generations via epigenetic mechanisms. 2. Responses of the host to the…
Key points 1. In addition to being a digestive absorptive organ, the gastrointestinal tract is also one of the largest immune organs of the body. It is normally inhabited by commensal microbes and is exposed to a prodigious dietary antigen…