Having a deep understanding of how the intestinal epithelium and the mucosal immune system interact is essential for promoting and preserving gut health. Based on our robust macrophage therapeutic platform, Creative Biolabs provides a specialized macrophage-enteroid coculture model development service that enables clients worldwide to delve deeper into the intricate communication between epithelial cells and macrophages. This innovative approach facilitates comprehensive studies on how these cell types work together to uphold barrier function and combat infections within the gut.

Overview of Macrophage-Enteroid Coculture Model

The intestinal epithelium is a dynamic and highly specialized barrier system essential for nutrient absorption and immune regulation. Enteroids—also known as intestinal organoids—are derived from intestinal stem cells and self-organize into 3D crypt-villus structures, recapitulating the architecture and function of the native epithelium. When cocultured with macrophages, these models provide a powerful platform to simulate the innate immune interface of the gut.

Why Coculture Macrophages with Enteroids?

Traditional 2D epithelial monolayers and isolated macrophage cultures fail to capture the reciprocal, dynamic interactions that occur in vivo between these two key cell populations. By coculturing macrophages with enteroids, researchers can:

• Reconstruct the epithelial-immune interface with high fidelity
• Observe real-time responses to stimuli such as bacterial toxins, cytokines, dietary molecules, or therapeutics
• Investigate bidirectional signaling between immune and epithelial compartments
• Model pathogen invasion and immune modulation
• Study disease-specific macrophage polarization and its effect on epithelial integrity

This model is particularly suited to simulating apical-basal transport, barrier disruption, inflammatory cascades, and tissue regeneration, providing a versatile tool for both mechanistic discovery and translational screening.

Recent studies utilizing macrophage–enteroid coculture models have shed light on:

• The role of TLR signaling in gut macrophages and epithelial responses
• SARS-CoV-2 intestinal tropism and macrophage-mediated inflammation
• Microbiota-derived metabolite effects on IL-10–dependent immune tolerance
• Modeling of Crohn's-like granuloma formation in vitro
• Evaluation of oral drug permeability and mucosal toxicity

Macrophage-Enteroid Coculture Model Development Service at Creative Biolabs

At Creative Biolabs, we have pioneered the development of a macrophage-enteroid coculture model by 3D culturing human enteroid monolayers alongside mature human macrophages. Our approach involves inducing human intestinal stem cells to differentiate into enteroid monolayers, either sourced from patient. Additionally, we offer various macrophage cell lines, including patient-derived and monocyte-induced options, to enhance research flexibility. Noteworthy, our scientists are willing to customize your macrophage-enteroid coculture model development solutions to meet your needs. By leveraging these models, clients have the ability to explore immune responses in the gut microenvironment, paving the way for potential therapeutic strategies targeting inflammatory bowel diseases and gastrointestinal disorders.

We deliver end-to-end support for macrophage-enteroid coculture model development tailored to your research goals.

Key Advantages

• Reconstructs the 3D intestinal immune microenvironment
• Enables personalized or patient-matched disease modeling
• Compatible with imaging, molecular, and functional assays
• Suitable for infection, inflammation, and therapeutic testing
• Supports gene editing, knockdown, or reporter constructs

Related Products

During the course of research utilizing our macrophage-intestinal epithelial cell coculture model, researchers often require specific types of macrophages for further experiments. For this reason, we also offer a range of high-quality macrophage products designed to meet a variety of research needs.

Service Features

Simulating Real Physiological Environments

Our coculture model is designed to mimic the natural interactions between macrophages and intestinal epithelial cells in the intestinal environment in vivo. In this way, researchers can obtain experimental data closer to the real physiological conditions and enhance the biological relevance of the experimental results.

Advanced Technology Platform

We utilize the latest cell culture technology and equipment to ensure cell activity and functional performance during coculture. Combined with modern biotechnology, such as 3D culture and microenvironmental modulation, our models are able to better reproduce cell-cell interactions.

Multiple Functional Assessments

Our services are not limited to the development of coculture models, but also include a comprehensive assessment of macrophage and intestinal epithelial cell functions in the models. We provide tests for cytokine secretion, cell surface markers, cell polarization status, and many other key indicators to help researchers gain a deeper understanding of cell function.

Publications

Method: This study focused on investigating the interactions between intestinal epithelial cells and macrophages to understand how these cells collaborate in maintaining gut health. A novel research model was developed by co-culturing primary human macrophages with enteroid monolayers generated from intestinal stem cells, allowing for the study of interactions between immune cells and intestinal tissue. The model was utilized to assess barrier function, cytokine secretion, and protein expression in response to bacterial infection.

Result: The results suggest that the presence of macrophages significantly improved the barrier integrity and structure of enteroid monolayers, demonstrated by increases in cell height and transepithelial electrical resistance. The interaction between the epithelium and macrophages was established through observable morphological changes and cytokine secretion. Notably, the presence of intraepithelial macrophage projections, effective phagocytic activity, and the maintenance of enteroid barrier integrity showcased a coordinated response to infections caused by enterotoxigenic and enteropathogenic E. coli.

Fig.2 The establishment of macrophage-enteroid co-culture model.^1,2

Scientific Resources

Learn More Macrophages in Diseases

Download Resident Macrophages vs. Recruited Macrophages

Learn More Tissue-Resident Macrophages

Learn More Macrophage-related Experimental Protocols

Q & A

Q: What type of enteroid cells do you use? Are patient-derived organoids supported?

A: We offer two types of enteroid for coculture, including standard intestinal organoids derived from mice or humans and individualized intestinal organoids derived from specific patient samples. Customers can provide biopsy samples or iPSC-derived epithelial cells, and we will be responsible for isolating, expanding, and establishing the organoid culture system. In addition, we also support the use of commercially sourced standard gut organoid cell lines to shorten the development cycle.

Q: How are macrophages obtained? Is it a single source or can it be customized for research purposes?

A: We offer flexible macrophage sourcing options, including but not limited to:

• PBMC-induced primary macrophages
• Differentiated macrophages induced by monocyte cell lines such as THP-1, KG-1, HL-60, etc.
• iPSC-sourced macrophages
• Client-specified sample sources or cells that provide a specific immune background

Customers can choose between M0 unpolarized state or pre-induced M1/M2 polarized phenotype. We also support the induction of macrophage polarization during coculture for more realistic dynamic microenvironment simulation.

Q: How long is the service cycle usually? Does it support fast delivery or expedited processing?

A: The standard model development process includes model co-construction and validation phase, formal experimentation phase, data analysis and report delivery. If clients have clear time requirements, we can provide expedited processing channel.

Q: How does Creative Biolabs ensure the reproducibility and biological credibility of its models?

A: We follow a strict quality control system.

• Standardized experimental batches: using uniform sources, media, and processing procedures
• Biological replicates: at least 3 biological replicates for each set of experiments to ensure data stability
• Negative/positive control settings: all coculture experiments are set up with appropriate control groups to enhance the explanatory power of the analysis
• Documentation of SOPs for the whole process: all the processes of model development and assaying can be traced back

In addition, we have served more than dozens of international clients, including universities, pharmaceutical companies and research institutes, and have a proven track record of quality management and customer satisfaction.

References

1. Noel, Gaelle, et al. "A primary human macrophage-enteroid co-culture model to investigate mucosal gut physiology and host-pathogen interactions." Scientific Reports 7.1 (2017): 45270. https://doi.org/10.1038/srep45270
2. Distributed under Open Access license CC BY 4.0, without modification.