Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 20, 2026

An In Vitro Batch-culture Model to Estimate the Effects of Interventional Regimens on Human Fecal Microbiota
Published on: July 31, 2019
Prebiotics and their long-term influence on the microbial populations of the mouse bowel
A Santos1, M San Mauro, D Marquina Díaz
1Department of Microbiology III, Biology Faculty, Complutense University of Madrid, José Antonio Nováis, 2, 28040 Madrid, Spain.
Abstract:
Various prebiotics were orally administered to mice and the evolution of different microbial populations was studied. The administration of prebiotics significantly increased lactobacilli and bifidobacteria in the large bowel content. Ingestion of prebiotics specifically lowered microbial populations of sulphite-reducing clostridia. Xylo-oligosaccharides (XOS) increased lactobacilli by 10 fold and produced the highest counts of bifidobacteria. In XOS-treated mice, levels of sulphite-reducing clostridia decreased significantly. Prebiotics slightly reduced the amount of aerobic bacteria and significantly increased the number of anaerobes in both the small and the large bowel. These effects of prebiotics were reverted by the basal diet.
Related Concept Videos
Probiotics
Development of Human Microbiota
Microbiota of the Large Intestine
Introduction to the Human Microbiota
Microbiota Modulation by Antibiotics
Functions of the Gut Microbiota
