Related Experiment Video
Updated: Apr 15, 2026

Isolation and Identification of Bacterial Strains from Skin of Terrestrial Amphibians
Published on: June 17, 2025
Microbiota and mucosal immunity in amphibians
Bruno M Colombo1, Thibault Scalvenzi1, Sarah Benlamara1
1Institute of Systems and Synthetic Biology, Université d'Evry Val d'Essonne , Evry , France.
Abstract:
We know that animals live in a world dominated by bacteria. In the last 20 years, we have learned that microbes are essential regulators of mucosal immunity. Bacteria, archeas, and viruses influence different aspects of mucosal development and function. Yet, the literature mainly covers findings obtained in mammals. In this review, we focus on two major themes that emerge from the comparative analysis of mammals and amphibians. These themes concern: (i) the structure and functions of lymphoid organs and immune cells in amphibians, with a focus on the gut mucosal immune system; and (ii) the characteristics of the amphibian microbiota and its influence on mucosal immunity. Lastly, we propose to use Xenopus tadpoles as an alternative small-animal model to improve the fundamental knowledge on immunological functions of gut microbiota.
Related Concept Videos
Microbiota of the Respiratory Tract
Introduction to the Human Microbiota
The Oral Microbiota
Functions of the Gut Microbiota
Surface Membrane Barriers
The outer layer of the skin, the epidermis, is a robust barrier comprising layers of closely packed keratinized cells. This dense arrangement prevents microbes from penetrating the body. The periodic shedding of epidermal cells...
Microbiota of the Stomach and Small Intestine

