Bacteria utilize quorum sensing system to exchange intraspecific and interspecific information and regulate the physiological characteristics， including the biofilm formation， movement， secretion of toxins， production of bacteriocins and antibiotics. Therefore， quorum sensing system runs through the whole process of bacterial growth and reproduction， and plays an important role in the stability of bacterial population. Recently， more and more quorum sensing systems have been discovered and studied， and their regulatory mechanisms have been elucidated gradually， providing the foundation for the practical application of quorum sensing systems. In this paper， four kinds of bacterial quorum sensing systems were reviewed， and those of typical strains were analyzed. In addition， the quorum-sensing inhibitors and the quorum quenching mechanisms were summarized. The purpose of this paper was to provide a reference for the further study of the regulation mechanism of quorum sensing system and the development of new antibacterial agents.