Enteropathogenic Infections: Organoids Go Bacterial
Viktoria Hentschel1, Frank Arnold1, Thomas Seufferlein1
1Department of Internal Medicine I, Ulm University, 88079 Ulm, Germany.
Abstract:
Enteric infections represent a major health care challenge which is particularly prevalent in countries with restricted access to clean water and sanitation and lacking personal hygiene precautions, altogether facilitating fecal-oral transmission of a heterogeneous spectrum of enteropathogenic microorganisms. Among these, bacterial species are responsible for a considerable proportion of illnesses, hospitalizations, and fatal cases, all of which have been continuously contributing to ignite researchers' interest in further exploring their individual pathogenicity. Beyond the universally accepted animal models, intestinal organoids are increasingly valued for their ability to mimic key architectural and physiologic features of the native intestinal mucosa. As a consequence, they are regarded as the most versatile and naturalistic in vitro model of the gut, allowing monitoring of adherence, invasion, intracellular trafficking, and propagation as well as repurposing components of the host cell equipment. At the same time, infected intestinal organoids allow close characterization of the host epithelium's immune response to enteropathogens. In this review, (i) we provide a profound update on intestinal organoid-based tissue engineering, (ii) we report the latest pathophysiological findings defining the infected intestinal organoids, and (iii) we discuss the advantages and limitations of this in vitro model.
Insights
Intestinal organoids offer a powerful in vitro model for studying enteric infections, mimicking human gut responses to pathogens. This review details their use in understanding bacterial pathogenesis and host immunity.
Area of Science:
- Microbiology
- Gastroenterology
- Infectious Diseases
Background:
- Enteric infections pose significant global health challenges, especially where sanitation and hygiene are limited.
- Bacterial enteropathogens cause substantial morbidity and mortality, driving research into their mechanisms of disease.
- Intestinal organoids are advanced in vitro models that replicate native gut architecture and physiology.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review advancements in intestinal organoid technology for studying enteric infections.
- To present current pathophysiological findings from infected intestinal organoid models.
- To discuss the benefits and drawbacks of using intestinal organoids in research.
Main Methods:
- Review of current literature on intestinal organoid-based tissue engineering.
- Analysis of studies utilizing infected intestinal organoids to investigate pathogen-host interactions.
- Evaluation of the advantages and limitations of intestinal organoids as an in vitro model.
Main Results:
- Intestinal organoids effectively mimic key features of the intestinal mucosa, enabling detailed study of pathogen adherence, invasion, and replication.
- These models allow for the characterization of host epithelial immune responses to enteropathogens.
- Organoids provide a more naturalistic in vitro system compared to traditional animal models.
Conclusions:
- Intestinal organoids represent a versatile and valuable tool for dissecting the complexities of enteric infections.
- This model facilitates a deeper understanding of bacterial pathogenicity and host defense mechanisms.
- Ongoing research and development continue to enhance the utility of intestinal organoids in infectious disease research.
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