Abstract
This review describes various in vivo animal models (humans; conventional animals administered antimicrobial agents and animals species used; gnotobiotic and germ-free animals), in vitro models (luminal and mucosal), and in silico and mathematicalmodels which have been developed to study colonisation and colonisation resistance and effects of gut flora on hosts. Where applicable, the advantages and disadvantages of each model are discussed. Keywords: colonisation, colonisation resistance, animal models, in vitro colonisation models, in silico and mathematical colonisation models.
Highlights
The gastrointestinal (GI) tract contains a complex, dynamic, and spatially diversi ed microbial ecosystem which is established and maintained during life in humans and animals
This review describes various in vivo animal models, in vitro models, and in silico and mathematical models which have been developed to study colonisation and colonisation resistance and effects of gut ora on hosts
It is important to have methods for studying the gut micro ora, its composition, metabolic activities, products that may in uence the host, and abiotic factors that govern the gut ecosystem
Summary
The gastrointestinal (GI) tract contains a complex, dynamic, and spatially diversi ed microbial ecosystem which is established and maintained during life in humans and animals. It is important to have methods for studying the gut micro ora, its composition, metabolic activities, products that may in uence the host, and abiotic factors that govern the gut ecosystem. The study of the composition and metabolism of the colonic ora presents considerable methodological problems. Attempts to circumvent these problems have led to the development of numerous in vivo and in vitro models to simulate the human colon and its microbial population. There appears to be no single ideal method for studying the ecology and metabolic activities of the human colonic ora, and the problem must be tackled by a variety of means, each of which has intrinsic advantages and disadvantages of complexity, convenience and suitability, but which together provide a more accurate view of the ecosystem. We describe in vivo animal models, in vitro models and in silico and mathematical models which have been developed to study colonisation and colonisation resistance and effects of gut ora on hosts
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