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An imbalance in the colonic microbiota might underlie many human diseases, but the mechanisms that balance our microbial self during homeostasis have long remained elusive. Understanding how our immune system maintains homeostasis is of particular interest in the colon, because this organ harbors the largest microbial community in our body. Recent advances in high-throughput sequencing link an imbalance in this microbial community (dysbiosis) to many chronic human illnesses. Yet it is a daunting task to define what constitutes a balanced microbial community in the colon, because the resident microbiota is highly diverse, differs between individuals, and shifts with changes in the diet. In turn, not knowing what features characterize a balanced colonic microbiota has hampered progress in specifying immune functions or cell types required for maintaining homeostasis in the colon …