Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Concept Videos

Introduction to the Human Microbiota01:22

Introduction to the Human Microbiota

Microorganisms colonize various regions of the human body, including the mouth, nasal passages, throat, stomach, intestines, urogenital tract, and skin. The total number of microbial cells is estimated to range from 10¹³ to 10¹⁴—comparable to, or exceeding, the number of human somatic cells. This host–microbiome relationship has led to the conceptualization of humans as supraorganisms, wherein microbial communities perform vital roles in development, immunity, and disease...
Development of Human Microbiota01:30

Development of Human Microbiota

The human microbiota begins developing at birth and undergoes continual change as we age. Infancy marks a critical period of microbial sensitivity, offering a “window of opportunity” during which beneficial microbes help mature the immune system. By age three, children typically develop a more stable and diverse microbial community. Newborns acquire microbes from their immediate environment; vaginal delivery favors maternal vaginal microbes, while cesarean births favor microbes from the skin...
Microbiota of the Large Intestine01:27

Microbiota of the Large Intestine

The large intestine hosts the most densely populated microbial ecosystem in the human body. This complex community primarily consists of anaerobic bacteria, with Bacillota (formerly Firmicutes) and Bacteroidota (formerly Bacteroidetes) as the predominant groups. The distribution of these microbes varies along different sections of the large intestine, influenced by local environmental factors such as oxygen availability and nutrient composition.The cecum, located at the beginning of the large...
The Skin Microbiota01:27

The Skin Microbiota

The human skin serves as a complex ecosystem inhabited by a diverse community of microorganisms, including bacteria, fungi, and viruses. This microbiome plays a critical role in maintaining skin health and defending against pathogenic invaders. The composition of microbial communities varies significantly across different regions of the body, influenced primarily by the local levels of moisture and sebum.Regional Variation in Skin MicrobiotaCutibacterium acnes predominantly colonizes sebaceous...
Functions of the Gut Microbiota01:18

Functions of the Gut Microbiota

The gut microbiota includes trillions of microorganisms that colonize the human gastrointestinal tract, including bacteria, archaea, viruses, and fungi. This complex ecosystem plays a critical role in maintaining intestinal and systemic health. Most of these microbes inhabit the large intestine, establishing a relatively stable and diverse community that contributes to gut homeostasis through various metabolic, immunological, and protective mechanisms.Dominant bacterial phyla, such as...
The Oral Microbiota01:27

The Oral Microbiota

The oral microbiome includes a complex ecosystem comprising over 700 microbial species, identified through genomic sequencing and culture-based analyses to date. This community includes a core microbiome, found universally among individuals, and a variable component influenced by environmental factors such as diet, lifestyle, and host genetics. Site-specific conditions, including oxygen gradients, pH levels, and nutrient availability, determine the spatial distribution of these microorganisms...

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

Peripartum Vascular Calamities: Placental Abruption and Amniotic Fluid Emboli.

Seminars in thrombosis and hemostasis·2026
Same author

Data-driven prioritization of mouse strains for improved preclinical modeling of rare and common disease.

bioRxiv : the preprint server for biology·2026
Same author

Episiotomy and the risk of obstetric anal sphincter injury in nulliparous women with a prolonged second stage.

Archives of gynecology and obstetrics·2026
Same author

Protocol to study regeneration in human pancreatic slices using viral tracing, extended culture, dissociation, and functional Ca<sup>2+</sup> influx techniques.

STAR protocols·2026
Same author

An interventional pilot study protocol on the effect of extra virgin olive oil on women with preeclampsia risk.

Annals of translational medicine·2026
Same author

Pseudo-uterine Contractions: A New Entity in Obstetrics.

The Israel Medical Association journal : IMAJ·2026
Same journal

[Tennis Elbow Among Players].

Harefuah·2026
Same journal

[Internal Medicine - My Mission].

Harefuah·2026
Same journal

[Treatment of Morbid Obesity in Israel: GLP-1 Agonists Versus Bariatric Surgery - Clinical and Economic Aspects].

Harefuah·2026
Same journal

[Baby steps: Post-operative Treatment Recommendations for Pediatric Tracheostomy in Israel].

Harefuah·2026
Same journal

[Mastoiditis Caused by Fusobacterium Necrophorum: an Unusual Pathogen in a Well-Known Disease].

Harefuah·2026
Same journal

[Cochlear Implantation in Single-Sided Deafness - Six Years of Follow-Up from Diagnosis and Consistent Use, Through Dedicated and Creative Auditory Learning, to the Development of Bilateral Central Processing Abilities].

Harefuah·2026
See all related articles

Related Experiment Video

Updated: May 31, 2026

Co-culture of Living Microbiome with Microengineered Human Intestinal Villi in a Gut-on-a-Chip Microfluidic Device
10:51

Co-culture of Living Microbiome with Microengineered Human Intestinal Villi in a Gut-on-a-Chip Microfluidic Device

Published on: August 30, 2016

[The human microbiome].

Ido Solt1, Matthew J Kim, Cohavy Offer

  • 1Maternal-Fetal Medicine Division, Obstetrics and Gynecology Department Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA, USA. soliti@cshs.org

Harefuah
|June 18, 2011
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

The human microbiome comprises trillions of microbial cells, vastly outnumbering human cells and possessing a greater genetic capacity. Understanding this complex ecosystem is key to human health and disease.

More Related Videos

Analysis of Interactions between Endobiotics and Human Gut Microbiota Using In Vitro Bath Fermentation Systems
06:58

Analysis of Interactions between Endobiotics and Human Gut Microbiota Using In Vitro Bath Fermentation Systems

Published on: August 23, 2019

Microbial Communities in Nature and Laboratory - Interview
29:13

Microbial Communities in Nature and Laboratory - Interview

Published on: May 28, 2007

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: May 31, 2026

Co-culture of Living Microbiome with Microengineered Human Intestinal Villi in a Gut-on-a-Chip Microfluidic Device
10:51

Co-culture of Living Microbiome with Microengineered Human Intestinal Villi in a Gut-on-a-Chip Microfluidic Device

Published on: August 30, 2016

Analysis of Interactions between Endobiotics and Human Gut Microbiota Using In Vitro Bath Fermentation Systems
06:58

Analysis of Interactions between Endobiotics and Human Gut Microbiota Using In Vitro Bath Fermentation Systems

Published on: August 23, 2019

Microbial Communities in Nature and Laboratory - Interview
29:13

Microbial Communities in Nature and Laboratory - Interview

Published on: May 28, 2007

Area of Science:

  • Microbiology
  • Genomics
  • Human Health

Context:

  • The human body hosts a vast microbial ecosystem, the human microbiome, with cell numbers exceeding human cells.
  • This microbiota possesses a collective genome (metagenome) significantly larger than the human genome, influencing health.
  • Current research focuses on diverse body sites like the gut, skin, and oral cavity.

Purpose:

  • To explore the complexity of the human microbiome across different body sites.
  • To understand the role of the human microbiome in health and disease.
  • To identify novel diagnostic and therapeutic strategies based on microbiome research.

Summary:

  • The human microbiome consists of microbial populations that colonize the body, with cell counts and genetic material far exceeding those of the host.
  • Major international collaborations are investigating the diverse microbiomes of key body areas, including the nasopharyngeal, gastrointestinal, urogenital, oral, and skin environments.
  • The collective genome of the human and its associated microbes is termed the metagenome.

Impact:

  • Enhancing the understanding of pathological mechanisms in various diseases.
  • Facilitating the development of innovative diagnostic tools.
  • Enabling the creation of novel therapeutic interventions targeting the microbiome.