Resident microorganisms in the human body vastly outnumber host cells and have an important role in human physiology. In this Review, Bromberg and colleagues discuss the basic principles that guide analyses of the microbiota, including the challenges of measuring and quantifying microbiota. They also discuss the influence of the microbiota on the immune system and the implications of these effects on organ failure and transplantation.
- Jonathan S. Bromberg
- W. Florian Fricke
- Emmanuel F. Mongodin
