Abstract
There are different models available that mimic the human intestinal epithelium and are thus available for studying probiotic and pathogen interactions in the gastrointestinal tract. Although, in vivo models make it possible to study the overall effects of a probiotic on a living subject, they cannot always be conducted and there is a general commitment to reduce the use of animal models. Hence, in vitro methods provide a more rapid tool for studying the interaction between probiotics and pathogens; as well as being ethically superior, faster, and less expensive. The in vitro models are represented by less complex traditional models, standard 2D models compromised of culture plates as well as Transwell inserts, and newer 3D models like organoids, enteroids, as well as organ-on-a-chip. The optimal model selected depends on the research question. Properly designed in vitro and/or in vivo studies are needed to examine the mechanism(s) of action of probiotics on pathogens to obtain physiologically relevant results.
Highlights
The gastrointestinal tract is very complex with a quadruple layered structure; mucosa, submucosa, muscularis mucosa, and serosa
The mucosa can be defined as a layer of epithelial cells situated above the extracellular matrix (ECM)-rich lamina propria
Diet and other environmental factors have a big influence on the gut microbiota, and e.g., the use of fiber can help to maintain a healthy gut microbiota
Summary
The gastrointestinal tract is very complex with a quadruple layered structure; mucosa, submucosa, muscularis mucosa, and serosa. Since a probiotic should have demonstrable beneficial effects on the host, methods and techniques that would recreate physiologically relevant in vitro models that can simulate the in vivo environment, are important to study the interactions of commensal bacteria with epithelial cells as well as potential pathogens. The human and mice gut microbiota have 90 and 89% similarities in phyla and genera (Krych et al, 2013), there are differences in the abundance of microbes; especially lactobacilli and bifidobacteria (Park and Im, 2020) Mice are easy to breed with short gestation period and have large litter sizes, all of which contributes to their ease-of-use (Nguyen and Xu, 2008) These animal models being close to humans genetically and physiologically have some advantages for investigating probiotic-pathogen interaction. The assay to determine the antimicrobial activity can be performed on TABLE 1 | Comparison of the advantage and the limitations of models for studying bacteria-pathogen and bacteria-host interaction
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