OUTLINE
16 December 2020

The skin microbiome and its relationship with the human body explained

The gut is not the only part of the human body that hosts an important microbiome. The surface of the skin is home to a sprawling and complex microbial ecosystem, which interacts with the immune system and influences dermatological health.

Michael Eisenstein⁰

Michael Eisenstein
1. Michael Eisenstein is a freelance science writer in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
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Microbial niches

The skin contains a diverse microbial ecosystem, which is seeded at birth, but evolves until a person reaches sexual maturity.

Graphic showing releative abundance of microorganisms on the skin — Infographic: Lucy Reading-Ikkanda

Healthy collaborations

The skin is a largely dry and nutrient-poor environment, but some microbes such as Staphylococcus epidermidis and Cutibacterium acnes are able to survive. These skin residents communicate with host cells and help to defend against infection and injury².

Graphic showing how microbes interact with with host cells in the skin — Infographic: Lucy Reading-Ikkanda

Turf wars lead to disease

The bacterium Staphylococcus aureus is associated with atopic dermatitis, a form of eczema common in children that can give rise to other allergies later in life. Several beneficial species of Staphylococcus normally protect against S. aureus, but genetics, and possibly environmental and lifestyle factors, can mean this balance of power is disturbed in some individuals, making them susceptible to the condition.

Graphic exploring the link between Staphylococcus and atopic dermatitis — Infographic: Lucy Reading-Ikkanda

Nature 588, S210-S211 (2020)

doi: https://doi.org/10.1038/d41586-020-03524-6

This article is part of Nature Outline: The skin microbiome, an editorially independent supplement produced with the financial support of third parties. About this content.

References

Byrd, A., Belkaid, Y. & Segre, J. Nature Rev. Microbiol. 16, 143–155 (2018).
Article PubMed Google Scholar
Flowers, L. & Grice, E. A. Cell Host Microbe 28, 190–200 (2020).
Article PubMed Google Scholar
Scharschmidt, T. C. et al. Immunity 43, 1011–1021 (2015).
Article PubMed Google Scholar

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The skin microbiome and its relationship with the human body explained

Microbial niches

Healthy collaborations

Turf wars lead to disease

References

Subjects

Latest on:

Jobs

Faculty Positions at the Center for Machine Learning Research (CMLR), Peking University

Faculty Positions at SUSTech Department of Biomedical Engineering

Southeast University Future Technology Institute Recruitment Notice

Staff Scientist

W3-Professorship (with tenure) in Inorganic Chemistry

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