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

Microorganisms in Medicine and Therapeutics01:29

Microorganisms in Medicine and Therapeutics

673
Microorganisms play a fundamental role in vaccine development, gene therapy, and therapeutic production. Their biological properties are harnessed to advance medicine and public health. Beyond immunization, microorganisms contribute to gut health, antibiotic synthesis, and genetic disease treatment.Live Attenuated and Inactivated VaccinesLive attenuated vaccines, such as the measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccine, utilize weakened forms of pathogens to closely resemble natural infections.
673
History of Microbiology01:28

History of Microbiology

6.5K
Microbiology, a scientific field dedicated to the study of microorganisms, has undergone profound development since its inception in the 17th century. Its history is marked by key discoveries and technological advancements that have shaped our understanding of life at the microscopic level and transformed medicine, agriculture, and industry.Early Foundations of MicrobiologyThe early foundations of microbiology were built on groundbreaking observations and the development of pioneering...
6.5K
Anatomy of the Intestines01:23

Anatomy of the Intestines

85.6K
Although digestion of proteins, carbohydrates, and lipids may begin in the stomach, it is completed in the intestine. The absorption of nutrients, water, and electrolytes from food and drink also occurs in the intestine. The intestines can be divided into two structurally distinct organs—the small and large intestines.
Small Intestines
The small intestine is an ~7 meter-long tube with an inner diameter of just 2.5 cm. Since most nutrients are absorbed here, the inner lining of the...
85.6K

You might also read

Related Articles

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

Sort by
Same author

Antibiotic-induced Malassezia expansion in the infant gut promotes early-life immune dysregulation and airway inflammation in mice.

Nature communications·2026
Same author

Multi-region sampling of the human small intestine using an ingestible device.

medRxiv : the preprint server for health sciences·2026
Same author

CUPID-seq enables highly multiplexed amplicon sequencing via combinatorial in-line dual indexing.

bioRxiv : the preprint server for biology·2026
Same author

VIBRANT: A phase 1 randomized trial of multi-strain vaginal L. crispatus live biotherapeutic products in people with bacterial vaginosis.

Cell host & microbe·2026
Same author

Correction: Distinct Distal Gut Microbiome Diversity and Composition in Healthy Children from Bangladesh and the United States.

PloS one·2026
Same author

Intestinal low-abundant bacteria drive MyD88/Trif-dependent CD8<sup>+</sup> T cell exhaustion in chronic myeloid leukemia.

Cell reports·2025

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Nov 21, 2025

Probiotic Studies in Neonatal Mice Using Gavage
10:36

Probiotic Studies in Neonatal Mice Using Gavage

Published on: January 27, 2019

20.2K

Lessons learned from the prenatal microbiome controversy.

Martin J Blaser1, Suzanne Devkota2,3, Kathy D McCoy4

  • 1Departments of Medicine and Pathology and Center for Advanced Biotechnology and Medicine, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, USA. blaser@cabm.rutgers.edu.

Microbiome
|January 13, 2021
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

The prenatal environment may not be sterile, with studies suggesting a low-biomass microbial community. However, contamination is a major concern, fueling a debate on the prenatal microbiome

More Related Videos

A Method for Targeted 16S Sequencing of Human Milk Samples
09:09

A Method for Targeted 16S Sequencing of Human Milk Samples

Published on: March 23, 2018

10.1K
Modeling Ascending Vaginal Infection, Preterm Birth, and Neonatal Morbidity in Mice
05:24

Modeling Ascending Vaginal Infection, Preterm Birth, and Neonatal Morbidity in Mice

Published on: October 10, 2025

128

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Nov 21, 2025

Probiotic Studies in Neonatal Mice Using Gavage
10:36

Probiotic Studies in Neonatal Mice Using Gavage

Published on: January 27, 2019

20.2K
A Method for Targeted 16S Sequencing of Human Milk Samples
09:09

A Method for Targeted 16S Sequencing of Human Milk Samples

Published on: March 23, 2018

10.1K
Modeling Ascending Vaginal Infection, Preterm Birth, and Neonatal Morbidity in Mice
05:24

Modeling Ascending Vaginal Infection, Preterm Birth, and Neonatal Morbidity in Mice

Published on: October 10, 2025

128

Area of Science:

  • Microbiology
  • Human Microbiome
  • Developmental Biology

Background:

  • The traditional view of a sterile prenatal environment is being challenged by recent findings.
  • Studies using advanced sequencing and other methods suggest the presence of a low-biomass microbial community in prenatal samples.
  • This potential prenatal microbiome has significant implications for host development and health.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To explore the ongoing academic controversy regarding the existence and significance of the prenatal microbiome.
  • To present expert opinions from established microbiome scientists not directly involved in the debate.
  • To provide a broader perspective on the challenges and implications of prenatal microbial exposure.

Main Methods:

  • Review and synthesis of existing research on the prenatal microbiome.
  • Inclusion of expert commentary from leading microbiome researchers.
  • Discussion of evidence for and against a prenatal microbial community, including contamination concerns.

Main Results:

  • Significant debate exists regarding the validity and implications of findings suggesting a prenatal microbiome.
  • Contamination in sampling and analysis is a major challenge and a key point of contention.
  • Skepticism is fueled by inconsistencies with established biological principles and experimental models.

Conclusions:

  • The existence and importance of a prenatal microbiome remain highly debated topics in scientific literature.
  • Further rigorous research is needed to definitively establish the presence and role of microbes in the prenatal environment.
  • Addressing contamination issues is crucial for resolving the controversy and understanding early-life microbial exposures.