GI Microbiota and Regulation of the Immune System

Section I. Overview Chapters

1. Overview of Gut Immunology Katie Lynn Mason, Gary B. Huffnagle, Mairi C. Noverr and John Y. Kao Abstract Introduction: Tolerance vs. Inflammation Gastrointestinal Tract Architecture Components of the Gut Immune Response Coordination of the Gut Immune Response Importance of the Gi Microbiota Summary

2. The Commensal Microbiology of the Gastrointestinal Tract Janet M. Manson, Marcus Rauch and Michael S. Gilmore Abstract Introduction Culture-Dependent Versus Culture-Independent Techniques Bacterial Diversity Regional Colonization of the GI Tract Influences on Microbiota Future Study of GI Tract Ecology

Section II. Current Techniques

3. Overview of the Gastrointestinal Microbiota Vincent B. Young and Thomas M. Schmidt Abstract Introduction Structure of the Intestinal Microbial Community Functional Aspects of the Intestinal Microbiota Methods to Study the Structure and Function of the Gut Microbiota The Microbiota in the Context of the Intestinal Ecosystem Ecologic Statistical Analysis as a Means to Reduce Data Complexity Summary

4. Effects of Microbiota on Gi Health: Gnotobiotic Research Robert Doug Wagner Abstract Introduction Immunodeficient Gnotobiotic Models Immunological Effects of GI Tract Infections in Gnotobiotic Animals Gnotobiotic Studies of Microbial Antagonism Microbiota Effects on Gut Associated Lymphoid Tissue Architecture Inflammatory Responses to the Microbiota New Directions for Gnotobiotic Studies of the Microbiota and Immunity

Section III. Interaction with the Host

5. positive interactions with the microbiota: Probiotics Marko Kalliomäki, Seppo Salminen and ErikaIsolauri Abstract Introduction Definition of a probiotic Traditional selection criteria for probiotics and rationale for new ones Importance of Viability of Probiotics Probiotics augment gut barrier mechanisms Probiotics have anti-inflammatory properties in the gut Atopic disease is a target for probiotic intervention Probiotics in

Gary B. Huffnagle, PhD, is a Professor of Internal Medicine (Pulmonary

Diseases) and Microbiology and Immunology at the University of Michigan Medical

School. He holds a BS in microbiology from Pennsylvania State University and a

PhD in immunology from the University of Texas Southwestern Medical School.

In addition to conducting research, he teaches undergraduate and graduate classes

in eukaryotic microbiology, microbial symbiosis and experimental immunology

at the University of Michigan. Dr. Huffnagle's research focuses on the regulation

of pulmonary immunity to infectious agents and allergens. In the past 5 years, his

attention has turned to the role of the indigenous microbiota in immune system

functioning, as well as the role of probiotics in animal and human health. He has

been awarded research grants from the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute

(NHL BI), National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), the Francis

Families Foundation and the Burroughs-Wellcome Fund. Dr. Huffnagle serves or

has served on editorial boards for the American Society for Microbiology (ASM)

and the American Association of Immunologists (AAI), as well as on advisory and

review panels for the National Institutes of Health (NIH).

Mairi C. Nove rr, PhD, is an Assistant Professor of Immunology and

Microbiology at Wayne State University Medical School. She earned a BA in biology

from Kalamazoo College in 1996 and a PhD in microbiology and immunology

from the University of Michigan in 2002. Dr. Noverr's current research focuses on

investigating mechanisms of immunomodulation by the opportunistic yeast Candida

albicans during host-pathogen interactions and how interactions with other members