Germ-free mice as a model to study effect of gut microbiota on host physiology.
The alterations in resident gut microbiota seen in chronic gastrointestinal disorders have led to an increasing interest in the role of gut bacteria in maintaining intestinal barrier function. While acute alterations in colonic secretomotor function in response to pathogens have been well described, the effect of commensal bacteria on intestinal barrier function and colonic secretomotor function still remains poorly understood. Germ-free mice represent a model system to study effect of gut microbes on host gastrointestinal physiology. The study by Lomasney et al. represents an important step in this direction by demonstrating that the colonic secretomotor function is largely preserved in germ-free mice, hence making them a suitable model to study effect of gut microbiota on host function.
['Grover|M|M|', 'Kashyap|P C|PC|']
D000818:Animals D041981:Gastrointestinal Tract D005856:Germ-Free Life D051379:Mice D064307:Microbiota D023421:Models, Animal
microbiota barrier function Ussing chamber germ free transepithelial resistance