Germ-free animal
Germ-free animals are animals that have no microorganisms living in or on them. Such animals are raised within germ-free isolators in order to control their exposure to viral, bacterial or parasitic agents.[1] When known strains of bacteria or microbiota are introduced to a germ-free animal, it usually referred to as a gnotobiotic animal, however technically speaking, germ-free animals are also gnotobiotic because the status of their microbial community is known.[2]
Germ-free animals are used in the study of probiotic research and other animal research requiring careful control of outside contaminants that can affect the experiment.[3] They also have a poor immune system and require more food to keep the same weight as others that are not germ-free.
References
- ^ University of Michigan Germ Free Animal Facility - example facility for raising germ-free animals
- ^ Reyniers, J.A. Germfree Vertebrates: Present Status (1959) Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences. 78(1):3.
- ^ Of Probiotics and Possibilities - J. Armbrecht. Dept of Bacteriology, University of Wisconsin-Madison. August 2, 2000.
 | This biology article is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. |