Advances of gut-on-a-chip for exploring host-microbe interactions

Abstract

The human gut is a complex ecosystem harboring rich microbes that play a key role in the nutrient absorption, drug metabolism, and immune responses. With the continuous development of microfluidics and organ-on-a-chip, gut-on-a-chip has become a powerful tool for modeling host-microbe interactions. The chip is able to mimic the complex physiological environment of the human gut in vitro, providing a unique platform for studying host-microbe interactions. Firstly, we introduce the physiological characteristics of the human gut. Secondly, we comprehensively summarize the advantages of the microfluidic chip in vitro recapitulating the intestinal system by integrating microenvironmental factors, such as complex cell components, dynamic fluids, oxygen gradients, and mechanical mechanics. Thirdly, we expound the key performance indicators for evaluating the construction performance of gut-on-a-chip. In addition, we review the progress of gut-on-a-chip models in the research on gut microecology, disease modeling, and drug evaluation. Finally, we highlight the challenges and prospects in the applications of the emerging technology. The above is summarized with a view to informing the application of gut-on-a-chip for indepth studies of gut microbe-host interactions.