Creative Biolabs provides a powerful platform for deciphering mechanisms underlying host-microbiota interactions and the impact of the microbiome on host physiology and pathology. Our scientists are happy to help our clients develop germ-free and custom microbiome models for your research.

Types of Animal Models

Creative Biolabs provides different animal models. There are different animal models with different levels of control over the microbiota:

• Germ-free animals

Germ-free animal models, with the animals housed in sterile isolators and completely free of microbiota, are useful tools to advance our understanding of the host-microbiota relationship in vivo. Germ-free animals not only differ from conventional animals by their absence of bacterial flora, but also they lack systemic responses to that flora.

• Gnotobiotic animals

Germ-free animals selectively colonized with one or more bacterial strains are referred to as gnotobiotic animals. Gnotobiotics represents the optimal compromise between the realistic complexity of conventional animals and the controlled nature of in vitro tests

• Specific pathogen-free (SPF) animals

SPF status refers to animals presenting an absence of known pathogens but with an indigenous microbiota with an unknown composition.

• Wild animals

Wild animals with a ‘wild’ microbiome have more mature immune systems but also have the caveat of likely pathogen exposure earlier in life, as well as increased fungal load.

Notably, conventional mice harboring a specific pathogen-free microbiome are less susceptible to bacterial infection compared to germ-free mice.

Processes of Gut Microbiome Transfer

A common method of modeling animals in a more human context includes “humanizing” the microbiota of animals, where human microbiota from different patients can be transplanted into germ-free animals. Human microbiota-associated animal models primarily use mice. Transfer of human microbiota into germ-free mice by fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) under aseptic conditions is a commonly used method that is being used to study the pathophysiology of human diseases. The advantage of FMT in animal models is the flexibility of using stored fecal or ceca contents, as well as the ease of use according to the procedure.

With years of experience, Creative Biolabs provides humanized gnotobiotic animal model construction service as per your requirement. Our team has extensive knowledge of end-to-end program development.

Workflow of Creating a Humanized Gnotobiotic Mouse Model

Germ-free animals have been indispensable tools for studying functional relationships between the microbiota and the host. Creative Biolabs provides high-quality services for colonization of germ-free animals with microbiota from humans. We assess the effects of gut bacteria on a wide range of biological systems, including but not limited to, immunity, neurodegenerative diseases, obesity, and diabetes. We support comprehensive investigations into the role of the microbiome in health and disease. If you are interested in our services, please feel free to contact us.

Reference

1. McCoy, K.D.; Ohland, C.L. Innate responses to gut microbiota; critical assessment of the necessary experimental controls. Current Opinion in Microbiology, 2021, 59: 34-41.

For Research Use Only | Not For Clinical Use