**3. Gut Microbiota and Kidney Disease**

Trillions of microbes living in the gut—the gut microbiota—have coexisted with humans in a state of mutually beneficial cohabitation. A diversity of environmental factors can induce gut microbial imbalance (i.e., dysbiosis), which in turn can affect human health and disease [49]. Although the role of gut microbiota in adulthood advanced CKD has been extensively reviewed elsewhere [14,25,50,51], less attention has been given to investigate its impact in early stages of kidney disease. Therefore, this section mainly discusses evidence supporting the role of early-life gut microbiota in humans, with an emphasis on pediatric CKD.
