Microbiota

The human gut has the potential to impact hugely on the health of individuals. This is because microbes correspond to nine out of every ten cells in our body. Indeed, in the large intestine the number of microbes can be as high as 100 billion per gram. This collection of microbes is known as the human 'microbiome'. This microbiome contains 100 times more unique genes than those present in our own genomes, and has a metabolic capability equivalent to that of our liver. (Via.)