Figure 1.

Impacts of foods and nutrition on the microbiota-host interactions in the gut. The arrow indicates regulation. Food components and endogenous metabolites of nutrients directly modulate the gut epithelial barrier and mucosal immune system. Diet also determines microbiota-accessible nutrients, which play a critical role in the gut microbiota ecology. The interaction between the gut microbiota with host epithelium and the mucosal immune system determines intestinal homeostasis. IEC, intraepithelial lymphocytes; AMP, antimicrobial peptides; sIgA, secretory immunoglobulin A; DCs, dendritic cells; SCFAs, short-chain fatty acids; BCFAs, branched-chain fatty acids.