Did you know that there are trillions of microorganisms in your body? Yes, you will never be alone. The human body is home to trillions of microorganisms, on the same order of magnitude as the cells in your body. These microbes, including bacteria, archaea, viruses, fungi, and protists, live on or in human tissues and biofluids, along with the corresponding anatomical sites in which they reside, including the gastrointestinal tract, skin, mammary glands, seminal fluid, uterus, ovarian follicles, lungs, saliva, oral mucosa, conjunctiva, and the biliary tract. Collectively, this community is known as the microbiome and is generally beneficial to your health.
Schematic representation of the main hotspots colonized by microorganisms in the human body
Want to know more about microbes? Here there are some fun facts about them.
They are the oldest inhabitants of the planet (estimated to be around 3.5 billion years old!).
As well as living in your body, they are everywhere, playing an important role in the biogeochemical cycles of the soil and water, helping plants to absorb, grow and protect themselves, and supporting the digestive processes and immune functions of animals.
Some microorganisms in your body co-exist with you without harming you (forming commensal relationships), while others have mutualistic relationships in which both you and they benefit from this co-existence.
Less than 5% of the microbes in your body cause disease.
The densest population of microbes is in your gut (up to 2 kg!), where they play a critical role in digestion, immune function and weight regulation.
Each individual has a unique gut microbiota as personal as a fingerprint (although we share some similar characteristics). It is influenced by genetics, age, lifestyle, environmental microbial exposure, diet and health factors.
We need more research to understand the specific roles of the microbes that live in our bodies.
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