The Use of Defined Microbial Communities To Model Host-Microbe Interactions in the Human Gut

摘要

The human intestinal ecosystem is characterized by a complex interplay between different microorganisms and the host. The high variation within the hu- man population further complicates the quest toward an adequate understanding of this complex system that is so relevant to human health and well-being. To study host-microbe interactions, defined synthetic bacterial communities have been intro- duced in gnotobiotic animals or in sophisticated in vitro cell models. This review re- inforces that our limited understanding has often hampered the appropriate design of defined communities that represent the human gut microbiota. On top of this, some communities have been applied to in vivo models that differ appreciably from the human host. In this review, the advantages and disadvantages of using defined microbial communities are outlined, and suggestions for future improvement of host-microbe interaction models are provided. With respect to the host, technologi- cal advances, such as the development of a gut-on-a-chip system and intestinal or- ganoids, may contribute to more-accurate in vitro models of the human host.