The microbiota designates the various flora of commensal microbes of living species. Most research in human focusing mainly on the intestinal microbiota, we will limit ourselves to its description and role in physiology and pathology. The intestinal microbiota acts on digestion and the immune system. It seems responsible, at least in part, for obesity, digestive cancers, several autoimmune and allergic pathologies, and pathologies of the nervous system. The role of prebiotics, probiotics, xenobiotics and stool transplantations will be discussed.
© Société de Biologie, 2017.