Functional activity of ciliated outgrowths from cultured human nasal and tracheal epithelia

Issue title: Proceedings of the Seventh International Congress of Biorheology. Part I. Palais des Congrès, Nancy, France, 18–23 June 1989. Dedicated to Richard Skalak

Guest editors: Alfred L. Copley and Jean-François Stoltz

Article type: Research Article

Authors: Zahm, J.M. | Pierrot, D. | Hinnrasky, J. | Fuchey, C. | Chevillard, M. | Gaillard, D. | Puchelle, E.

Affiliations: INSERM U.314, CHR Maison-Blanche, 51092 Reims Cédex, France

Note: [] Accepted by: Editor-in-Chief A.L. Copley

Abstract: Primary cultures of respiratory epithelium were produced as outgrowths from human fetal and adult tracheal and nasal polyp explants. Video recordings of the epithelial cell outgrowths were carried out after 5 days of culture and the ciliary beating frequency was analyzed by using a video technique. Uniform fields of differentiated ciliated cells were observed near the edge of the explant. In the transition region of the outgrowth from the explant to the outgrowth periphery, isolated ciliated cells were present, as well as cells with fused cilia. The ciliary beating frequency of the outgrowth of well-differentiated ciliated cells (13.5 ± 1.4 Hz) was significantly higher (p < 0.001) than the beating frequency of both the explant (11.9 ± 0.7 Hz) and the ciliated cells with fused cilia (9.8 ± 1.7 Hz). The same differentiation stages and functional activities were observed in the outgrowth cultures, whatever their origin. These in vitro models are comparable with each other and therefore could be useful for studying the ciliogenesis and functional activity of the human respiratory epithelium.

Keywords: Cell culture, tracheal outgrowth, nasal outgrowth, ciliary frequency

DOI: 10.3233/BIR-1990-273-434

Journal: Biorheology, vol. 27, no. 3-4, pp. 559-565, 1990