The human gut microbiota has received considerable interest in the recent years and our knowledge of the inhabitant species and their potential applications is increased particularly after the development of metagenomic studies. Gut microbiota is highly diverse and harboring trillions of microorganisms in human digestive system. The shaping and multiplication of gut microbiome starts at birth, while the modification of their composition depends mainly on various genetic, nutritional and environmental factors. The modification in the composition and function of the gut microbiota can change intestinal permeability, digestion and metabolism as well as immune responses. The pro inflammatory state caused by alternation of gut microbiota balance lead to the onset of many diseases ranging from gastrointestinal and metabolic conditions to immunological and neuropsychiatric diseases. In this context, the present review clarifies the role of gut microbiota in maintaining host health and investigates how nutritional and environmental factors affect the gut microbial structure and function. In addition, many therapeutic strategies of gut microbiota aimed at modulating and restoring of the intestinal ecosystem balance have been surveyed.

近年来，人类肠道微生物群引起了相当大的兴趣，尤其是在宏基因组学研究发展之后，我们对居民物种及其潜在应用的了解也在增加。肠道微生物群高度多样化，在人类消化系统中含有数万亿种微生物。肠道微生物组的形成和繁殖始于出生，而其组成的改变主要取决于各种遗传、营养和环境因素。肠道微生物群组成和功能的改变可以改变肠道通透性、消化和代谢以及免疫反应。由肠道微生物群平衡改变引起的促炎状态导致许多疾病的发生，从胃肠道和代谢疾病到免疫和神经精神疾病。在此背景下，本综述阐明了肠道微生物群在维持宿主健康中的作用，并研究了营养和环境因素如何影响肠道微生物结构和功能。此外，已经研究了许多旨在调节和恢复肠道生态系统平衡的肠道微生物群的治疗策略。