Pathways and functions of gut microbiota metabolism impacting host physiology

- Intestinal microbiota performs diverse metabolic functions essential for host physiology.
- Small molecule products of microbiota metabolism act as nutrients and signaling molecules.
- Microbiota products modulate lipid metabolism, immune cell reactivity, and neuroendocrine pathways.
- Functional characterization of microbiota metabolites will benefit from pathway-oriented analyses and integration of analytical approaches.
- Metabolic models could facilitate data integration to relate microbiota composition and function.