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Maternal Microbiota Impacts Offspring Immune System

Image from the study
Topic
  • Microbiology
  • Microbial Ecology
  • Anatomy & Physiology
  • Immune System
  • Science Practices
  • Graph Interpretation
Resource Type
  • Activities
  • Data Points
Level
High School — GeneralHigh School — AP/IBCollege
Favorited By
8 Users
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Description

This activity analyzes a published scientific figure from a study assessing if the microbiota from a mother affects the immune systems of the developing offspring.

In this study, scientists compared the offspring from two populations of pregnant mice. One population was kept germ-free throughout pregnancy, while the other was exposed to a strain of E. coli bacteria. The figure shows the offspring’s numbers of an innate immune cell, known as NKp46+ ILC3, after birth. Closed circles represent the offspring of mothers that were exposed to E. coli during pregnancy (“Gestational colonization”). Open circles represent the offspring of mothers that remained germ-free throughout pregnancy (“Control”).

The “Educator Materials” document includes a captioned figure, background information, graph interpretation, and discussion questions. The “Student Handout” includes a captioned figure and background information.

Student Learning Targets
  • Analyze and interpret data from a scientific figure. 
  • Describe how maternal exposure to microbes can affect the immune system development of offspring.
     
Details
Estimated Time
Within one 50-minute class period.
Key Terms

cytokine, error bar, gestation, immunology, innate lymphoid cell, line graph, microbiome, p value

Primary Literature

de Agüero, Mercedes G., Stephanie C. Ganal-Vonarburg, Tobias Fuhrer, Sandra Rupp, Yasuhiro Uchimura, Hai Li, Anna Steinert, et al. “The Maternal Microbiota Drives Early Postnatal Innate Immune Development.” Science 351, 6279 (2016): 1296–1302. https://doi.org/10.1126/science.aad2571. 

To access this article, set up a free AAAS account.

Terms of Use

Please see the Terms of Use for information on how this resource can be used.

Accessibility Level

The documents for this resource meet accessibility standards in accordance with the final rule for Section 508 of the National Rehabilitation Act.
Version History
Date Published 01.12.18
Date Updated 01.12.18
Curriculum Connections
NGSS (2013)

HS-LS1-2; SEP2, SEP4, SEP5

AP Biology (2019)

IST-3.A; SP1, SP4

IB Biology (2016)

6.3, 11.1

AP Environmental Science (2013)

III.B.3

Common Core (2010)

ELA.RST.9-12.7
Math.S-ID.3, Math.S-IC.1; MP2, MP5

Vision and Change (2009)

CC3; DP2, DP3

Materials
Educator Materials (PDF) 926 KB
Student Handout (PDF) 860 KB
Educator Materials - Español (PDF) 284 KB
Student Handout - Español (PDF) 262 KB

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