The maternal microbiome during pregnancy impacts offspring's stem cells in mice

Gut microbiome composition during pregnancy has long-term effects on offspring stem cell growth and development, researchers report. Treating pregnant mice with a common gut microbe resulted in offspring that had more active stem cells in both the brain and intestinal tract. As a result, the offspring were less anxious and recovered quicker from colitis, and these differences were still evident at 10 months of age.