Potential Feasibility and Perspectives of Fecal Microbiota Transplantation for Restoring Gut Function in Giant Pandas.
- 1College of Food Science and Nutritional Engineering, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100083, China.
- 2China Agricultural University-Sichuan Advanced Agricultural & Industrial Institute, Chengdu 611430, China.
Abstract
Although the giant panda (Ailuropoda melanoleuca) relies almost exclusively on bamboo, its carnivore-like gastrointestinal tract has limited capacity for fiber digestion. The gut microbiota contributes to bamboo-derived nutrient utilization, although the extent of this contribution remains limited. Captivity-associated dietary and environmental changes frequently disrupt this microbial ecosystem, resulting in impaired digestive function and reduced physiological resilience. Conventional interventions, including antibiotics and single-strain probiotics, are generally insufficient to restore the complexity and stability of the gut microbiota. Fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT), which reconstructs the gut microbial ecosystem by transferring an intact microbial community, has demonstrated therapeutic potential in humans and various animal models. However, its feasibility in giant pandas remains unclear because their short intestinal tract, absence of fermentation chambers, rapid gastrointestinal transit, and host-mediated ecological filtering substantially limit donor microbiota engraftment. This review evaluates the biological rationale and technical feasibility of oral FMT in giant pandas by integrating evidence from gastrointestinal physiology, microbial ecology, and conservation medicine. This review identifies the principal barriers to microbial engraftment. It synthesizes a giant panda-specific framework from the available literature, encompassing function-oriented donor selection, optimized microbial delivery strategies, and multidimensional efficacy assessment. Collectively, this synthesis provides a theoretical foundation for future FMT research in giant pandas and offers a conceptual reference for microbiota-based interventions in the conservation of endangered wildlife.
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BibTeX
@article{fu2026potential,
title = {{Potential Feasibility and Perspectives of Fecal Microbiota Transplantation for Restoring Gut Function in Giant Pandas.}},
author = {Linxuan Fu and Yanzi Xue and Yanghan Wang and Shuoshuo Zhao and Qianwei Wang and Huilian Che},
journal = {Animals : an open access journal from MDPI},
year = {2026},
month = oct,
doi = {10.3390/ani16203254},
url = {https://europepmc.org/article/MED/42939185},
note = {CC BY},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - Potential Feasibility and Perspectives of Fecal Microbiota Transplantation for Restoring Gut Function in Giant Pandas.
AU - Linxuan Fu
AU - Yanzi Xue
AU - Yanghan Wang
AU - Shuoshuo Zhao
AU - Qianwei Wang
AU - Huilian Che
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/10/16
JO - Animals : an open access journal from MDPI
DO - 10.3390/ani16203254
UR - https://europepmc.org/article/MED/42939185
AB - Although the giant panda (Ailuropoda melanoleuca) relies almost exclusively on bamboo, its carnivore-like gastrointestinal tract has limited capacity for fiber digestion. The gut microbiota contributes to bamboo-derived nutrient utilization, although the extent of this contribution remains limited. Captivity-associated dietary and environmental changes frequently disrupt this microbial ecosystem, resulting in impaired digestive function and reduced physiological resilience. Conventional interventions, including antibiotics and single-strain probiotics, are generally insufficient to restore the complexity and stability of the gut microbiota. Fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT), which reconstructs the gut microbial ecosystem by transferring an intact microbial community, has demonstrated therapeutic potential in humans and various animal models. However, its feasibility in giant pandas remains unclear because their short intestinal tract, absence of fermentation chambers, rapid gastrointestinal transit, and host-mediated ecological filtering substantially limit donor microbiota engraftment. This review evaluates the biological rationale and technical feasibility of oral FMT in giant pandas by integrating evidence from gastrointestinal physiology, microbial ecology, and conservation medicine. This review identifies the principal barriers to microbial engraftment. It synthesizes a giant panda-specific framework from the available literature, encompassing function-oriented donor selection, optimized microbial delivery strategies, and multidimensional efficacy assessment. Collectively, this synthesis provides a theoretical foundation for future FMT research in giant pandas and offers a conceptual reference for microbiota-based interventions in the conservation of endangered wildlife.
SN - 2076-2615
ER -