Gut Serotonin Curbs the Developing Immune System
Gut Serotonin Curbs the Developing Immune System
In neonatal mice, the neurotransmitter serotonin mobilizes immune cells that promote tolerance to antigens.
In neonatal mice, the neurotransmitter serotonin mobilizes immune cells that promote tolerance to antigens.
immune system development
Microbes in Human Fetuses Spur Immune Development
Abby Olena, PhD | Jun 3, 2021 | 4 min read
Researchers identify live bacteria in fetal guts, skin, lungs, and placentas that activate memory T cells, indicating that early exposure to microbes could help educate the developing immune system.
Image of the Day: Brainless Frogs
Amy Schleunes | Feb 18, 2020 | 1 min read
Without a brain, the frog embryo immune system doesn’t receive the signals it needs to mobilize macrophages and fight infections.
The Influence of Soil on Immune Health
Jef Akst | Jan 8, 2020 | 6 min read
Recent work in humans and mice highlights how exposure to environmental microbes helps protect against allergies and other inflammatory diseases.
Amazonians Offer Clues to Human Childhood Development
Shawna Williams | Jul 1, 2018 | 4 min read
A study of Shuar children in Ecuador provides a window into how the human body responds to infection in the sorts of conditions that shaped our species’ evolution.
Neonatal Gut Bacteria Might Promote Asthma
Anna Azvolinsky | Sep 12, 2016 | 3 min read
Byproducts of gut microbes in some 1-month–old babies trigger inflammation that is linked to later asthma development, researchers find.