How the gut microbiome keeps the immune system in check

Animal microbiomes, particularly that of the gut, have been increasingly recognized as major contributors to organismal health. Recent studies published in Science (Ohnmacht et al., 2015 and Sefik et al., 2015) provide details of just how microbial symbionts of the gut interact with the immune system to keep animals healthy. These researchers found that a variety of microbial strains influence the gene expression profiles of T-cells in the intestines, thereby mediating inflammatory response and promoting homeostasis in the intestinal mucosa. Details and discussion can be found in an accompanying perspective piece.