A growing topic in microbiology is the animal microbiome. The microbiome is explained as the gathering or collection of bacteria, viruses, and other microbes found in mammals. These bacteria are able to out number the cells in the human body 10 to 1. Research has shown that humans and mammals are made more of bacteria than our own body cells. Because bacteria out number cells, mammals have formed a symbiotic relationship with the different forms of the bacteria.
Little is still known about the microbiome, but ongoing research is developing new findings in this field. Research done by the Human Microbiome Project has uncovered many of these secrets. Until now, science researchers knew that bacteria existed in humans but not how much or what kinds. Recently discovered by Joshua Lederberg, the microbiome is responsible for regulating the energy of the metabolism and immune functions. As many as 100 trillion microbes are found in the gut (EHP 2013). Every mammal has its own unique microbiota. Finding the types of microbiotas in an animal’s gut can educate researchers on the differences between a rat’s microbiome vs. the human microbiome. This is important in medical research because if rats and humans have similar gut bacteria, then researchers can use this known fact to assess the affects of exercise or other substances on the microbiomes for both species. Previous research has been done at the University Of Miami School Of Medicine. Professors at this school did lab experiments to see the changes of microbiomes in rats when the rats were introduced to different environments. Some rats were introduced to exercise while others were introduced to Polychlorinated Biphenyls (PCB). The result was that toxins such as PCB did have an affect on the microbiomes of the rats tested (EHP 2013).
Little is still known about the microbiome, but ongoing research is developing new findings in this field. Research done by the Human Microbiome Project has uncovered many of these secrets. Until now, science researchers knew that bacteria existed in humans but not how much or what kinds. Recently discovered by Joshua Lederberg, the microbiome is responsible for regulating the energy of the metabolism and immune functions. As many as 100 trillion microbes are found in the gut (EHP 2013). Every mammal has its own unique microbiota. Finding the types of microbiotas in an animal’s gut can educate researchers on the differences between a rat’s microbiome vs. the human microbiome. This is important in medical research because if rats and humans have similar gut bacteria, then researchers can use this known fact to assess the affects of exercise or other substances on the microbiomes for both species. Previous research has been done at the University Of Miami School Of Medicine. Professors at this school did lab experiments to see the changes of microbiomes in rats when the rats were introduced to different environments. Some rats were introduced to exercise while others were introduced to Polychlorinated Biphenyls (PCB). The result was that toxins such as PCB did have an affect on the microbiomes of the rats tested (EHP 2013).