Diet and microbiota in inflammatory bowel disease: The gut in disharmony

Figure 1 Schematic model of host-microbiota interactions in the intestine. The interaction between the resident (autochthonous) microbiota and the mucosal immune system is highly complex and, in normal conditions, results in a tolerogenic response. In genetically predisposed individuals, a dysbiotic microbiota, fuelled by environmental factors, particularly dietary constituents, induces pathogenic immune recognition and responses, further compromising the epithelial barrier and defence mechanisms, leading to chronic inflammation, as observed in inflammatory bowel disease.