ABSTRACT
Models attempt to address the intrinsic difficulty in accessing the human gut to study its microbial composition, metabolite and enzyme production, and inflammatory processes. These studies are used to infer the health benefits of dietary inventions and their impact on the gut microbiota. To elucidate the connection between prebiotic, probiotics, and gastrointestinal health, studies utilized in vitro, in vivo, and ex vivo models, along with metagenomic and metabolomic analysis. Models, such as cell culture and animals, are used as surrogates for human beings when experiments may not be feasible. Different models can produce complementary results that strengthen the overall validity of each individual model. This information is often used to determine the dominant set of taxa that govern the dynamics of multiple metabolic functions at the community level.
