Approaches to study differentiation and repair of human airway epithelial cells

Methods Mol Biol. 2011:742:173-85. doi: 10.1007/978-1-61779-120-8_10.

Abstract

One of the main functions of the airway mucosa is to maintain a mechanical barrier at the air-surface interface and to protect the respiratory tract from external injuries. Differentiation of human airway epithelial cells (hAECs) to polarized airway mucosa can be reproduced in vitro by culturing the cells on microporous membrane at the air-liquid interface. Here, we describe approaches to study differentiation as well as repair of the hAECs by using a commercially available airway cell culture model called MucilAir™.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Cell Communication / physiology
  • Cell Culture Techniques
  • Cell Differentiation / physiology*
  • Epithelial Cells / cytology
  • Epithelial Cells / metabolism*
  • Humans
  • Immunohistochemistry
  • Interleukin-8 / analysis
  • Interleukin-8 / biosynthesis
  • Mice
  • Models, Biological
  • Mucins / analysis
  • Mucins / biosynthesis
  • Research Design
  • Respiratory Mucosa / cytology
  • Respiratory Mucosa / metabolism*
  • Wound Healing / physiology*

Substances

  • Interleukin-8
  • Mucins