Germfree and Gnotobiotic Animal Models Background and Applications

The germfree animal is reared in the laboratory to be bacteria free; its counterpart, the gnotobiotic animal, is exposed to select microorganisms. The need for such an animal model for use in biomedical studies was first expressed by Pasteur in the late 1800s. Subsequent development of germfree and gnotobiotic animals led to an explosion of studies on the effects of microflora and its components on the physiology and metabolism of the host. Germfree and Gnotobiotic Animal Models brings together the most notable points of early and recent studies and gives reference to the most pertinent literature.

IntroductionEarly Growth, Body Weight, Reproduction, and Life SpanGeneral AspectsGrowthBody Weight of the Mature AnimalReproductionLife Span ConclusionsAnatomy, Morphology, and Function of the Gastrointestinal SystemGeneral AspectsStomachSmall IntestineCecumLarge IntestineConclusionsMorphology and Physiology, Endocrinology and BiochemistryGeneral AspectsEnergy MetabolismLiver FunctionCholesterol and Bile Acid MetabolismRats and Mice GerbilsDogs and PigsOther Indicators of FunctionWater Balance and Kidney FunctionMineral MetabolismEndocrine SystemConclusionsNutritionGeneral AspectsEarly Rat and Mouse DietsHand-Feeding of the Cesarean-Derived NewbornSolid DietsFurther Development of Rat and Mouse DietsSterilization of Solid DietsMetabolic Requirements of Germfree Rats and Germfree Mice-Contributions of the MicrofloraDietary Energy RequirementsProteins and Amino AcidsVitamin B Complex-Microflora ProductionFat-Soluble VitaminsMineralsInositol, Ubiquinone, and QueuineThe Chemically Defined DietGeneral AspectsDevelopment of the Chemically Defined DietProceduresPresent StatusDietary Antigenicity and Immune PotentialImmunology, Including Radiobiology and TransplantationGeneral AspectsEarly Studies: Immune Potential of Germfree Rats and Mice Maintained on Solid DietsAntibody-Forming PotentialPhagocytosisB Cells, T Cells, and NK CellsImmune GlobulinsNatural AntibodyCytokininsRadiation Biology and Bone Marrow TransplantationImmunological Evaluation of GF Mice Maintained on a Chemically Defined, Low Molecular Weight Antigen-Free DietConclusionsParasitologyGeneral AspectsEffects of the Microflora Via Nutrient Availability and the Immune SystemProtozoaNematodesHelminthsSchistosomiasis and Chagas' DiseaseCestodesPathology Over the Life Span of the Germfree Rat and the Germfree MouseGeneral Aspects Tumors and Tumor-Related VirusesConclusionsApplications: Past, Present, and Future. Part IIntroduction Microbial Action and Interaction in Gnotobiotic Systems: Colonization Resistance and Translocation StudiesControlled Microbial AssociationColonization ResistanceMaterials with Antimicrobial ActionTranslocation StudiesApplications: Past, Present, and Future. Part II.Use of the Gnotobiote in the Study of DiseaseThe Aging Syndrome"Endpoint Studies"Lobund Aging StudyCancer ResearchRole of the Microflora in Steroid Metabolism and Cardiovascular DiseaseDental Caries and Periodontal Disease StudiesDental CariesPeriodontal DiseaseRadiation Biology: Role of the Microflora and Effect of Bacterial Lipopolysaccharides (LPS)The Shock Syndrome: Potential Influence of LPSHemorrhagic ShockThermal ShockIntestinal StrangulationTourniquet ShockUlcerative ColitisStudies of Swine DiseaseApplications: Past, Present, and Future. Part III. The Production of Monoclonal Antibodies and ConclusionsMonoclonal Antibodies Conclusions and Future ConsiderationsIndex