GNPS - The genetic background is shaping cecal enlargement in the absence of intestinal microbiota

Germ-free (GF) animal models represent a unique tool to study the function and impact of gut microbiota on the host under homeostatic or pathologic conditions. GF animals can be selectively colonized with specific microorganisms of interest or even microbial communities. Therefore, these models are frequently employed to decipher complex interactions between the host and its endogenous commensal microbiota, as well as to study interrelations between microbial species within the specific biotope such as intestine.