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Nature 453, 602-604 (29 May 2008) | doi:10.1038/453602a; Published online 28 May 2008

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Immunology: Soothing intestinal sugars

Marika C. Kullberg1

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The gut is a new frontier in microbiology, offering many opportunities for innovative investigation. The finding of one such study is that intestinal inflammation in mice can be tamed by bacterial sugars.

The human 'gut flora' consists of between 300 and 1,000 microbial species, and some 1014 microorganisms in total (about ten times the number of cells of the human body). We usually live in harmony with these microbes, and would be less healthy without them.

  1. Marika C. Kullberg is in the Immunology and Infection Unit, Department of Biology, University of York, and The Hull York Medical School, PO Box 373, York YO10 5YW, UK.
    Email: mk512@york.ac.uk

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