Figure 1.

The tripartite pathophysiological circuit of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). The microbiome, barrier function, and immune system all play critical roles in IBD pathophysiology with eubiosis, mucosal integrity and tolerance seen in health and dysbiosis, leaky gut, and inflammation seen in disease. Risk factors (environmental and genetic) push these pathophysiological components in the direction of disease. Therapeutic targets (microbiome, barrier function, and immune system based) push the components in the direction of health.