Relevant infection models are a key to successful research of the interaction of pathogenic microorganisms and host. Cell lines, primary cell culture systems, ex vivo cultures and animals are all used in infection research and provide both advantages and disadvantages when it comes to understanding the intricacies of infection processes. Availability of cell lines is undermined by the fact that most of them represent tumor or immortalized cells, which also lack polarity or the presence of the immune system. Primary cells and ex vivo cultures more faithfully represent the in vivo situation but have the disadvantages of donor variability and limited availability. Animal models, besides cost and ethical issues, have serious limitations when it comes to studying human specific pathogens.
Recent advances in the development of human 3D in vitro tissue models provide a necessary tool for overcoming the above-mentioned limitations of infection models. Organoids, bioengineered 3D tissues and organ-on-chip technology can all find an application not only in regenerative medicine, toxicology or tumor biology, but could advance our understanding of infection, as well.
In this Research Topic, the focus would not be only on development, improvement and adaptation of available 3D tissue models based on human and/or mouse cells, which include organoids, bioengineered 3D tissues and organ-on-chip technology, but also on their application in infection research. The Research Topic would bring into spotlight recent experimental advances in the generation of 3D models for the purpose of studying the interaction of pathogenic microorganisms with the host, as well as new techniques that enable evaluation and analysis of this interaction. The latter would include microscopy, such as super-resolution microscopy, single cell and dual RNA-Seq, gene silencing in primary cells, etc. Our aim is to highlight studies that lead to understanding of the important events in infection using 3D tissue models, also including modelling of resulting pathologies, such as infection-associated cancers and the aspect of the development of new preventive and therapeutic strategies. The submission of both Original Research and Review articles would be welcomed.
Relevant infection models are a key to successful research of the interaction of pathogenic microorganisms and host. Cell lines, primary cell culture systems, ex vivo cultures and animals are all used in infection research and provide both advantages and disadvantages when it comes to understanding the intricacies of infection processes. Availability of cell lines is undermined by the fact that most of them represent tumor or immortalized cells, which also lack polarity or the presence of the immune system. Primary cells and ex vivo cultures more faithfully represent the in vivo situation but have the disadvantages of donor variability and limited availability. Animal models, besides cost and ethical issues, have serious limitations when it comes to studying human specific pathogens.
Recent advances in the development of human 3D in vitro tissue models provide a necessary tool for overcoming the above-mentioned limitations of infection models. Organoids, bioengineered 3D tissues and organ-on-chip technology can all find an application not only in regenerative medicine, toxicology or tumor biology, but could advance our understanding of infection, as well.
In this Research Topic, the focus would not be only on development, improvement and adaptation of available 3D tissue models based on human and/or mouse cells, which include organoids, bioengineered 3D tissues and organ-on-chip technology, but also on their application in infection research. The Research Topic would bring into spotlight recent experimental advances in the generation of 3D models for the purpose of studying the interaction of pathogenic microorganisms with the host, as well as new techniques that enable evaluation and analysis of this interaction. The latter would include microscopy, such as super-resolution microscopy, single cell and dual RNA-Seq, gene silencing in primary cells, etc. Our aim is to highlight studies that lead to understanding of the important events in infection using 3D tissue models, also including modelling of resulting pathologies, such as infection-associated cancers and the aspect of the development of new preventive and therapeutic strategies. The submission of both Original Research and Review articles would be welcomed.
