Bacterial contributions to mammalian gut development

The mammalian gut has coevolved over millions of years with a vast consortium of microbes. From birth, this population is in continuous and intimate contact with intestinal tissues. Recent results indicate that indigenous bacteria play a crucial inductive role in gut development during early postnatal life. These findings have revealed that the mammalian intestine is poised for interaction with its prokaryotic partners, which are essential for its normal development.