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Review
. 2020 Oct;594(20):3262-3271.
doi: 10.1002/1873-3468.13946. Epub 2020 Oct 19.

The human gut microbiota is neither an organ nor a commensal

Paolo Riccio  1 , Rocco Rossano  1
Affiliations
Free article
Review

The human gut microbiota is neither an organ nor a commensal

Paolo Riccio et al. FEBS Lett. 2020 Oct.
Free article

Abstract

The recent explosive increase in the number of works on gut microbiota has been accompanied by the spread of rather vague or improper definitions, chosen more for common use than for experimental evidence. Among them are those defining the human gut microbiota as an organ of our body or as a commensal. But, is the human gut microbiota an organ or a commensal? Here, we address this issue to spearhead a reflection on the real roles of the human gut microbiota in our life. Actually, the misuse of the vocabulary used to describe the properties and functions of the gut microbiota may generate confusion and cause misunderstandings both in the scientific community and among the general public.

Keywords: commensal; diet; gut microbiota; holobiont; human health; metabolism; organ; symbiosis.

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