Laboratory simulators of the colon are designated to reproduce the composition and functionality of complex microbial communities. The in vitro colonic models range from batch fecal incubations, suitable for metabolic studies, to more complex continuous models, involving one or multiple connected vessels, to mimic different regions of the human colon. Laboratory simulators of the colon microbiome allow the screening of a large number of substances and are valuable in performing mechanistic studies. Moreover, multistage continuous models are relevant for microbial ecological studies, since they allow long-term experiments needed to evaluate the spatial and temporal adaptation of the colonic microbiota to dietary ingredients, drugs, and toxic or radioactive compounds, without ethical constraints. In vitro models are particularly well suited for screening prebiotics or probiotics, for special functions in the gut. The progress made in developing in vitro fermentation models, able to closely mimic the gut microbial environment, can offer remarkable insights into gut microbiota functions or microbial metabolites associated with a disease state and could be predictive for in vivo situations.

Peer reviewed