Supplementing the intestines of old mice with feces from young mice revealed that microbes play an important role in the intestines. stem cells function.

After receiving the Fecal microbiota transplantation In young mice, increased activity of intestinal stem cells that maintain the intestinal wall reversed some aspects of age-related intestinal decline in older mice.

The findings suggest that such transplants may one day provide a treatment route for age-related intestinal diseases such as inflammation and inflammation. obesity.

“As we get older, the constant replacement of intestinal tissue slows down, making us more susceptible to gut-related conditions.” says molecular biologist Hartmut Geiger. He holds a Ph.D. from the University of Ulm, Germany. “Our findings show that the younger the microbiome, the faster the old gut can heal and function more like a young gut.”

intestines stem cells Important for maintaining a stable and healthy gut. These are mechanisms that ensure that the intestinal lining (epithelium) is constantly replenished and renewed, ensuring consistent intestinal function.

However, as we age, this rate of regeneration slows, increasing our vulnerability to age-related intestinal dysfunction.

in Previous researchGeiger and his colleagues, cell biologists Yi Zheng and Kodandaramireddy Nallapaleddy at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, determined that this delayed regeneration is directly related to the decline in intestinal stem cell function.

We also know that the microbial community that lives in our gut changes as we age, and that these changes are associated with symptoms such as: parkinson’s disease, alzheimer’s diseaseeven loss of vision. The researchers wanted to know whether the gut microbiome also influences stem cell activity.

So they recruited more team members and designed a simple experiment to test it. It involves transplanting fecal samples between and within groups of old and young mice.

After completing a series of transplants, the researchers studied the intestines to see what changes the transplants had caused.

In older mice, the changes were dramatic. Stem cell activity increased, as did Wnt signaling, which is necessary for these cells to function. The pace of epithelial regeneration accelerated and, importantly, the intestine healed faster after radiation damage.

“This reduction in signaling causes a decrease in the regenerative capacity of aged ISCs.” Mr. Chung says.. “But once the old microbiota was replaced by a young one, the stem cells resumed producing new intestinal tissue as if the cells were younger. This further illustrates how human health is influenced by other life forms living inside our bodies.”

In young mice, the changes were less dramatic. There was only a slight decrease in stem cell activity, Wnt signaling, and regeneration. The intestines continued to function reasonably well. This suggests that the aging gut is much more sensitive to microbiome changes than the young gut.

Another very interesting finding is that one of the perpetrators of stem cell decline in the aging intestine is Akkermansiaa bacteria that is generally considered to be beneficial in some ways, and there are indications that it may help reduce it. diet-induced obesity and depression-like behavior with a mouse.

In older mice, Akkermansia It actually contributes to suppressing Wnt signaling. This finding suggests that gut bacteria are neither necessarily good nor bad, but their contribution may depend on the context.

This is not an absolute problem for human health. Our bodies (and our guts) are more complex than mouse bodies, so we’ll need to conduct separate studies to see if this phenomenon occurs in our own species.

Related: Most people develop diverticulosis in their intestines by the age of 80…so what?

However, this study reveals a promising avenue for future research.

It has also been suggested that age-related stem cell loss may not be irreversible. Scientists may one day be able to develop ways to maintain gut health as we age by harnessing the abilities of our gut microbes to shape how intestinal tissue self-regenerates.

This research stem cell report.