title: Microbial Ecology of the Human Skin.
abstract: This review article on the skin microbiota was written in response to recent advances that transitioned from culture methods to PCR amplification and sequencing of bacterial and fungal genes as a result of the Human Microbiome Project. This transition enables the investigation of the full diversity of microorganisms inhabiting human skin. The skin provides a range of habitats with different microbiota associated with the three major regions of the skin, namely the moist axilla, perineum, and toe webs; oily or sebaceous head, neck, and trunk; and dry forearms and legs. These new culture-independent tools are revealing the diversity of the human skin microbiota in the different locations of the body and with skin depth. These tools should lead to a better understanding of the state of homeostasis between the microbiota and the host and the overall functionality of that microbiota.
authors.affiliation: Microbiological Consulting, LLC, 105 Lee Ave., Scarsdale, NY, 10583, USA. tonycundell@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Anthony M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Cundell
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D001365:Axilla / Q000382:microbiology; D001419:Bacteria / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics; D018407:Bacterial Physiological Phenomena; D044822:Biodiversity; D003358:Cosmetics; D004463:Ecology; D017753:Ecosystem; D005658:Fungi / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology; D005798:Genes, Bacterial / Q000235:genetics; D005800:Genes, Fungal / Q000235:genetics; D006304:Health Status; D006706:Homeostasis; D006801:Humans; D007267:Injections; D064307:Microbiota / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D010502:Perineum / Q000382:microbiology; D012336:RNA, Ribosomal, 16S / Q000235:genetics; D012737:Sex Factors; D012867:Skin / Q000382:microbiology*; D014033:Toe Joint / Q000382:microbiology; D014611:Vaccination
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D003358:Cosmetics; D012336:RNA, Ribosomal, 16S
keywords: Birth mode; Corynebacterium; Dermatological diseases; High-throughput gene sequencing; Human skin; Microbial diversity; Microbiota; Propionibacterium; Puberty; Skin depth; Skin regions; Staphylococcus; Terminal differentiation