Search research articles

ABOUT JoVE

Overview Leadership Blog JoVE Help Center

AUTHORS

Publishing Process Editorial Board Scope & Policies Peer Review FAQ Submit

LIBRARIANS

Testimonials Subscriptions Access Resources Library Advisory Board FAQ

RESEARCH

JoVE Journal Methods Collections JoVE Encyclopedia of Experiments Archive

EDUCATION

JoVE Core JoVE Business JoVE Science Education JoVE Lab Manual Faculty Resource Center Faculty Site

Terms & Conditions of Use

Related Concept Videos

Development of Human Microbiota

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...

Introduction to the Human Microbiota

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...

Microbiota Modulation by Antibiotics

Microbiota Modulation by Antibiotics

Antibiotics have revolutionized modern medicine by saving countless lives from bacterial infections. However, their widespread use has inadvertently harmed the delicate balance of the human gut microbiota. The gut microbiota, a complex community of bacteria, archaea, viruses, and fungi, plays a vital role in regulating metabolism, immune responses, and maintaining intestinal health. Antibiotics, especially broad-spectrum types, disrupt this ecosystem by eradicating both harmful and beneficial...

Microbiota of the Stomach and Small Intestine

Microbiota of the Stomach and Small Intestine

The human gastrointestinal (GI) tract is characterized by distinct physicochemical conditions that shape its microbial communities. Among these, the stomach presents a particularly challenging environment for microbial colonization due to its highly acidic pH, ranging from 1 to 3. This extreme acidity effectively limits microbial density. However, certain acid-tolerant microorganisms are capable of surviving in this niche. Notably, Helicobacter pylori can colonize the gastric mucosa,...

Microbiota of the Large Intestine

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...

Functions of the Gut Microbiota

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...

You might also read

Related Articles

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

Sort by

Same author

Immunostimulant-induced maturation of monocyte-derived dendritic cells in respiratory infection prophylaxis.

Drugs in context·2026

Same author

Gut Microbiota as a Key Modulator in the Pathophysiology of Sepsis: SURVEIL Project.

MicrobiologyOpen·2026

Same author

Editorial: Interplay of immunothrombosis and thromboinflammation in health and disease.

Frontiers in cardiovascular medicine·2026

Same author

Pharyngeal Microbiota in Pre-COPD and COPD: Associations with Clinical Pattern and Respiratory Infection.

Biomedicines·2026

Same author

Gut Microbiota Profiling by 16S rRNA Sequencing in Children with Mild or Intermittent Asthma: A Pilot Study in Alessandria, Italy.

Microorganisms·2025

Same author

Multicentric evaluation of the MTS™ Synergy Application System for reliable antibiotic synergy testing in clinical laboratories.

Journal of global antimicrobial resistance·2025

Search research articles

Related Experiment Video

Updated: May 29, 2026

Applying Advanced In Vitro Culturing Technology to Study the Human Gut Microbiota

Applying Advanced In Vitro Culturing Technology to Study the Human Gut Microbiota

Published on: February 15, 2019

Defining reference values for the gut microbiota in a Southern European population.

Chiara Pollicardo^1,2, Franca Gotta³, Paolo Bottino³

¹Department of integrated Surgical and Diagnostic Science (DISC), University of Genova, Genova, Italy.

Frontiers in Cellular and Infection Microbiology

|May 28, 2026

Summary

This summary is machine-generated.

This study establishes the first gut microbiota reference values using a certified diagnostic workflow for a Southern European population. These findings support standardized clinical interpretation of gut microbial imbalances and targeted interventions.

Keywords:

16S Southern Europe fecal microbiota transplantation gut microbiota healthy population references values sequencing

More Related Videos

Guided Protocol for Fecal Microbial Characterization by 16S rRNA-Amplicon Sequencing

Guided Protocol for Fecal Microbial Characterization by 16S rRNA-Amplicon Sequencing

Published on: March 19, 2018

An In Vitro Batch-culture Model to Estimate the Effects of Interventional Regimens on Human Fecal Microbiota

An In Vitro Batch-culture Model to Estimate the Effects of Interventional Regimens on Human Fecal Microbiota

Published on: July 31, 2019

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: May 29, 2026

Applying Advanced In Vitro Culturing Technology to Study the Human Gut Microbiota

Applying Advanced In Vitro Culturing Technology to Study the Human Gut Microbiota

Published on: February 15, 2019

Guided Protocol for Fecal Microbial Characterization by 16S rRNA-Amplicon Sequencing

Guided Protocol for Fecal Microbial Characterization by 16S rRNA-Amplicon Sequencing

Published on: March 19, 2018

An In Vitro Batch-culture Model to Estimate the Effects of Interventional Regimens on Human Fecal Microbiota

An In Vitro Batch-culture Model to Estimate the Effects of Interventional Regimens on Human Fecal Microbiota

Published on: July 31, 2019

Area of Science:

Microbiology
Genomics
Clinical Diagnostics

Background:

Clinical gut microbiota analysis needs reliable reference values from standardized methods.
Existing methods lack certified reference values for specific populations.

Purpose of the Study:

To establish the first gut microbiota reference values for a Southern European population using a certified workflow.
To validate the reference values against previous data and fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) studies.

Main Methods:

Analyzed 250 fecal samples using a CE-certified 16S rRNA bacterial profiling assay.
Applied stringent quality filtering and alignment against the RDP database.
Utilized a single Next-Generation Sequencing (NGS) platform.

Main Results:

Established reference values for gut microbiota composition in a Southern European cohort.
Demonstrated minor differences compared to previously published data.
Showed donor profiles consistent with reference ranges, while pre-FMT samples deviated and post-FMT samples converged.

Conclusions:

The study provides the first certified gut microbiota reference values for a Southern European population.
These reference values are crucial for standardized clinical interpretation of gut dysbiosis.
The findings facilitate targeted medical interventions for restoring microbial equilibrium.