Figure 3.

Traditional and innovative in vitro and in vivo models of inflammatory bowel diseases (IBDs). The human epithelial cell lines principally used include: Caco-2, T-84, Ht-29, and HCA-7. They allow one to investigate the function of epithelial barrier in terms of transport and absorption of chemical compounds, and defense mechanisms against bacterial infections. Furthermore, the inflammatory responses in cancer cells may be evaluated. Organotypic culture gives some advantages in pharmacological studies, while organoids offer a more complete representation of intestinal structures with its three-dimensional characteristics. Among the in vivo models, mice are the most used and IBD-like inflammation can be easily induced by means of the exposition to chemical compounds, or using transgenic lines. Future directions may include the use of larval and adult zebrafish, which represent a useful alternative since the costs of management are lower and they allow an easier genetic manipulation and application of imaging techniques.