Laboratory Animals - June Issue - 261
Ericsson
261
Table 1. Summary of the advantages, common uses, and limitations of various non-rodent species for research
investigating host-associated microbiota.
Model
organism(s)
Advantages/uses
Limitations
Invertebrates
High throughput and sample sizes
Genetic tractability (variable)
Cost effective; efficient
Studies of symbiosis and aging
Simplified GIT anatomy
Simplified GM composition; dominant
phyla different than in human
Inability to model many diseases
Zebrafish
High throughput and sample sizes
Genetic tractability
Cost effective; efficient
Similarities to human endocrine and
neural systems
Developmental studies, gnotobiotics,
gut-brain axis
Aquatic environment
Simplified GIT anatomy
Dominant GI phyla different than in
human
Inability to model many diseases
Dogs
Outbred population with similar
environment to humans
GM composition similar to humans
GI and respiratory anatomy similar to
humans
Periodontal disease, IBD, neoplasia
Pigs
Outbred population with similar environment to humans
GM composition similar to humans
GI and respiratory anatomy similar to
humans
Genetic tractability
Expensive to house and maintain
High throughput studies not feasible
Rabbits
GI anatomy similar to humans
Pathogen challenge in ligated GIT
Sinus and periodontal microbiota studies
Expensive to house and maintain
GM dominated by Firmicutes phylum
Expensive to house and maintain
High throughput studies not feasible
Genetics not easily manipulated
Public perception of research using
purpose-bred dogs
IBD: inflammatory bowel disease; GI: gastrointestinal; GIT: GI tract; GM: gut microbiota.
Limitations of the zebrafish model in microbiotarelated research include differences in environmental
conditions and exposures when compared to humans
and other model organisms. Perhaps not surprisingly,
the intestinal microbiota of zebrafish is thus quite different from that of mammalian hosts and, unlike most
other host species, differs dramatically between institutions (and depending on diet) at the phylum
level.36,55-58 Although the fecal microbiota of humans
and rodents may vary significantly at the genus level
depending on host genetics, geography, age, and environmental factors, it is consistently dominated by the
phyla Firmicutes and Bacteroidetes. Depending on the
source, the GM of zebrafish is dominated by
Proteobacteria and Fusobacteria, with variable presence
of Firmicutes, Cyanobacteria, Actinobacteria, and other
phyla;55,57 Bacteroidetes are usually, but not
always,36,58 negligible. Although they are beyond the
scope of the current review, there are also considerable
differences between zebrafish and mammalian hosts in
gut anatomy that may be of relevance to particular
studies such as a lack of Paneth cells and organized
lymphoid structures.59 Specifically, the intestinal microbiota stimulates Myd88-mediated signaling in Paneth
cells to induce the production of antimicrobial peptides
(e.g. defensins),60 which, in turn, modulate microbial
ecology within the gut.61,62 Additionally, the GIT of
zebrafish lacks the clearly differentiated segments (e.g.
stomach, small and large intestines) found in higher
vertebrates. In higher vertebrates, there is a distinct
division between the small and large intestines with
regard to bacterial composition63,64 and the lack of a
clear anatomic division between these regions in zebrafish should be considered a limitation with regard to
translational research.
Dogs (Canis familiaris)
Companion animals such as dogs possess attributes that
make them an appropriate model species for certain
microbiota-focused studies. First, the canine GIT is
more similar in size and structure to that of humans
Laboratory Animals - June Issue
Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Laboratory Animals - June Issue
Contents
Laboratory Animals - June Issue - Cover1
Laboratory Animals - June Issue - Cover2
Laboratory Animals - June Issue - Contents
Laboratory Animals - June Issue - 214
Laboratory Animals - June Issue - 215
Laboratory Animals - June Issue - 216
Laboratory Animals - June Issue - 217
Laboratory Animals - June Issue - 218
Laboratory Animals - June Issue - 219
Laboratory Animals - June Issue - 220
Laboratory Animals - June Issue - 221
Laboratory Animals - June Issue - 222
Laboratory Animals - June Issue - 223
Laboratory Animals - June Issue - 224
Laboratory Animals - June Issue - 225
Laboratory Animals - June Issue - 226
Laboratory Animals - June Issue - 227
Laboratory Animals - June Issue - 228
Laboratory Animals - June Issue - 229
Laboratory Animals - June Issue - 230
Laboratory Animals - June Issue - 231
Laboratory Animals - June Issue - 232
Laboratory Animals - June Issue - 233
Laboratory Animals - June Issue - 234
Laboratory Animals - June Issue - 235
Laboratory Animals - June Issue - 236
Laboratory Animals - June Issue - 237
Laboratory Animals - June Issue - 238
Laboratory Animals - June Issue - 239
Laboratory Animals - June Issue - 240
Laboratory Animals - June Issue - 241
Laboratory Animals - June Issue - 242
Laboratory Animals - June Issue - 243
Laboratory Animals - June Issue - 244
Laboratory Animals - June Issue - 245
Laboratory Animals - June Issue - 246
Laboratory Animals - June Issue - 247
Laboratory Animals - June Issue - 248
Laboratory Animals - June Issue - 249
Laboratory Animals - June Issue - 250
Laboratory Animals - June Issue - 251
Laboratory Animals - June Issue - 252
Laboratory Animals - June Issue - 253
Laboratory Animals - June Issue - 254
Laboratory Animals - June Issue - 255
Laboratory Animals - June Issue - 256
Laboratory Animals - June Issue - 257
Laboratory Animals - June Issue - 258
Laboratory Animals - June Issue - 259
Laboratory Animals - June Issue - 260
Laboratory Animals - June Issue - 261
Laboratory Animals - June Issue - 262
Laboratory Animals - June Issue - 263
Laboratory Animals - June Issue - 264
Laboratory Animals - June Issue - 265
Laboratory Animals - June Issue - 266
Laboratory Animals - June Issue - 267
Laboratory Animals - June Issue - 268
Laboratory Animals - June Issue - 269
Laboratory Animals - June Issue - 270
Laboratory Animals - June Issue - 271
Laboratory Animals - June Issue - 272
Laboratory Animals - June Issue - 273
Laboratory Animals - June Issue - 274
Laboratory Animals - June Issue - 275
Laboratory Animals - June Issue - 276
Laboratory Animals - June Issue - 277
Laboratory Animals - June Issue - 278
Laboratory Animals - June Issue - 279
Laboratory Animals - June Issue - 280
Laboratory Animals - June Issue - 281
Laboratory Animals - June Issue - 282
Laboratory Animals - June Issue - 283
Laboratory Animals - June Issue - 284
Laboratory Animals - June Issue - 285
Laboratory Animals - June Issue - 286
Laboratory Animals - June Issue - 287
Laboratory Animals - June Issue - 288
Laboratory Animals - June Issue - 289
Laboratory Animals - June Issue - 290
Laboratory Animals - June Issue - 291
Laboratory Animals - June Issue - 292
Laboratory Animals - June Issue - 293
Laboratory Animals - June Issue - 294
Laboratory Animals - June Issue - 295
Laboratory Animals - June Issue - 296
Laboratory Animals - June Issue - 297
Laboratory Animals - June Issue - 298
Laboratory Animals - June Issue - 299
Laboratory Animals - June Issue - 300
Laboratory Animals - June Issue - 301
Laboratory Animals - June Issue - 302
Laboratory Animals - June Issue - 303
Laboratory Animals - June Issue - 304
Laboratory Animals - June Issue - 305
Laboratory Animals - June Issue - 306
Laboratory Animals - June Issue - 307
Laboratory Animals - June Issue - 308
Laboratory Animals - June Issue - Cover3
Laboratory Animals - June Issue - Cover4
https://www.nxtbookmedia.com