Trends in 3D models of inflammatory bowel disease

Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) encompasses a set of chronic inflammatory conditions, namely Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis. Despite all advances in the management of IBD, a definitive cure is not available, largely due to a lack of a holistic understanding of its etiology and pathophysiology. Several in vitro, in vivo, and ex vivo models have been developed over the past few decades in order to abbreviate remaining gaps. The establishment of reliable and predictable in vitro intestinal inflammation models may indeed provide valuable tools to expedite and validate the development of therapies for IBD. Three-dimensional (3D) models provide a more accurate representation of the different layers of the intestine, contributing to a stronger impact on drug screening and research on intestinal inflammation, and bridging the gap between in vitro and in vivo research. This work provides a critical overview on the state-of-the-art on existing 3D models of intestinal inflammation and discusses the remaining challenges, providing insights on possible pathways towards achieving IBD mimetic models. We also address some of the main challenges faced by implementing cell culture models in IBD research while bearing in mind clinical translational aspects.