Gnotobiotic Mouse Resources Support Studies of Microbial Interactions
Microorganisms affect nearly every aspect of life, regulating numerous biological processes at the ecosystem and organismal levels. All multi-organ animals maintain a unique gut microbiome that plays a key role in regulation of their metabolic, immune, and neurological functions. This area of research has expanded thanks to studies catalyzed by the NIH Human Microbiome Project, but the functional consequences of microbial changes—and the role of individual bacterial species and combinations—remain unknown.