The study of complex microbial communities has become a major research focus as mounting evidence suggests the pivotal role microbial communities play in host health and disease. Microbial communities of the gastrointestinal tract, known as the gut microbiota, have been implicated in aiding the host with vitamin biosynthesis, regulation of host energy metabolism, immune system development, and resistance to pathogen invasion. Conversely, disruptions of the gut microbiota have been linked to host morbidity, including the development of inflammatory diseases, metabolic disorders, increased cardiovascular risk, and increased risk of infectious diseases. However, studying the gut microbiota in humans and animals is challenging, as many microorganisms are fastidious with unique nutritional or environmental requirements that are often not met using conventional culture techniques. Bioreactors provide a unique solution to overcome some of the limitations of conventional culture techniques. Bioreactors have been used to propagate and establish complex microbial communities in vitro by recapitulating the physiological conditions found in the GI tract. These systems further our understanding of microbial physiology and facilitate our understanding of the impact of medications and xenobiotics on microbial communities. Here, we review the versatility and breadth of bioreactor systems that are currently available and how they are being used to study faecal and defined microbial communities. Bioreactors provide a unique opportunity to study complex microbial interactions and perturbations in vitro in a controlled environment without confounding biotic and abiotic variables.

中文翻译：

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使用生物反应器研究药物对人体微生物群的影响

随着越来越多的证据表明微生物群落在宿主健康和疾病中发挥着关键作用，复杂微生物群落的研究已成为一个主要的研究重点。胃肠道的微生物群落，称为肠道微生物群，参与帮助宿主进行维生素生物合成、调节宿主能量代谢、免疫系统发育和抵抗病原体入侵。相反，肠道微生物群的破坏与宿主发病率有关，包括炎症性疾病的发展、代谢紊乱、心血管风险增加和传染病风险增加。然而，研究人类和动物的肠道微生物群具有挑战性，因为许多微生物非常挑剔，具有独特的营养或环境要求，而传统的培养技术通常无法满足这些要求。生物反应器提供了一种独特的解决方案来克服传统培养技术的一些局限性。生物反应器已被用于通过概括在胃肠道中发现的生理条件在体外繁殖和建立复杂的微生物群落。这些系统进一步加深了我们对微生物生理学的理解，并促进了我们对药物和异生物质对微生物群落影响的理解。在这里，我们回顾了目前可用的生物反应器系统的多功能性和广度，以及它们如何用于研究粪便和特定微生物群落。