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Epithelial barrier formation by airway basal cells

Erjefält, Jonas LU ; Sundler, Frank LU and Persson, Carl LU (1997) In Thorax 52(3). p.213-217
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Epithelial shedding processes in airway inflammation and defence may produce damaged areas where basal cells are the main remaining epithelial cell type. The present study examines the capacity of basal cells to form an epithelial barrier structure after loss of columnar epithelial cells. METHODS: A technique was developed which allows selective removal of columnar epithelial cells from isolated airways. A drop of tissue adhesive glue was applied on the mucosal surface shortly after excision of guinea pig trachea and human bronchus. Gentle removal of the glue, together with attached columnar cells, left a single layer of cobbled, solitary basal cells. The tissue was kept in culture media. Morphological changes of the basal... (More)
BACKGROUND: Epithelial shedding processes in airway inflammation and defence may produce damaged areas where basal cells are the main remaining epithelial cell type. The present study examines the capacity of basal cells to form an epithelial barrier structure after loss of columnar epithelial cells. METHODS: A technique was developed which allows selective removal of columnar epithelial cells from isolated airways. A drop of tissue adhesive glue was applied on the mucosal surface shortly after excision of guinea pig trachea and human bronchus. Gentle removal of the glue, together with attached columnar cells, left a single layer of cobbled, solitary basal cells. The tissue was kept in culture media. Morphological changes of the basal cells were monitored by immuno-histochemistry and scanning and transmission electron microscopy at several time points. RESULTS: After 20 minutes the basal cells had undergone extensive flattening and established contact with each other. The basement membrane thus became covered by a poorly differentiated epithelium in both guinea pig and human airways. Abundant interdigitating cytoplasmic protrusions were observed at cell borders. CONCLUSIONS: Basal cells promptly flatten out to cover the basement membrane at loss of neighbouring columnar cells. These data may explain why the epithelial barrier function may be uncompromised in desquamative airway diseases. Furthermore, they suggest the possibility that sacrificial release of columnar epithelial cells and prompt creation of a barrier structure constitute important roles of basal cells in airway defence against severe insults. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
author
; and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
basal cells, epithelial shedding, epithelial repair, barrier restitution
in
Thorax
volume
52
issue
3
pages
213 - 217
publisher
BMJ Publishing Group
external identifiers
  • pmid:9093334
  • scopus:0030887210
ISSN
1468-3296
language
English
LU publication?
yes
additional info
The information about affiliations in this record was updated in December 2015. The record was previously connected to the following departments: Neuroendocrine Cell Biology (013212008), Airway Inflammation and Immunology (013212038), Division of Clinical Chemistry and Pharmacology (013250300)
id
a130173f-513f-4cf8-a6bf-839ada170710 (old id 1112529)
alternative location
http://thorax.bmj.com/cgi/reprint/52/3/213
date added to LUP
2016-04-01 15:58:59
date last changed
2022-03-30 04:38:40
@article{a130173f-513f-4cf8-a6bf-839ada170710,
  abstract     = {{BACKGROUND: Epithelial shedding processes in airway inflammation and defence may produce damaged areas where basal cells are the main remaining epithelial cell type. The present study examines the capacity of basal cells to form an epithelial barrier structure after loss of columnar epithelial cells. METHODS: A technique was developed which allows selective removal of columnar epithelial cells from isolated airways. A drop of tissue adhesive glue was applied on the mucosal surface shortly after excision of guinea pig trachea and human bronchus. Gentle removal of the glue, together with attached columnar cells, left a single layer of cobbled, solitary basal cells. The tissue was kept in culture media. Morphological changes of the basal cells were monitored by immuno-histochemistry and scanning and transmission electron microscopy at several time points. RESULTS: After 20 minutes the basal cells had undergone extensive flattening and established contact with each other. The basement membrane thus became covered by a poorly differentiated epithelium in both guinea pig and human airways. Abundant interdigitating cytoplasmic protrusions were observed at cell borders. CONCLUSIONS: Basal cells promptly flatten out to cover the basement membrane at loss of neighbouring columnar cells. These data may explain why the epithelial barrier function may be uncompromised in desquamative airway diseases. Furthermore, they suggest the possibility that sacrificial release of columnar epithelial cells and prompt creation of a barrier structure constitute important roles of basal cells in airway defence against severe insults.}},
  author       = {{Erjefält, Jonas and Sundler, Frank and Persson, Carl}},
  issn         = {{1468-3296}},
  keywords     = {{basal cells; epithelial shedding; epithelial repair; barrier restitution}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  number       = {{3}},
  pages        = {{213--217}},
  publisher    = {{BMJ Publishing Group}},
  series       = {{Thorax}},
  title        = {{Epithelial barrier formation by airway basal cells}},
  url          = {{http://thorax.bmj.com/cgi/reprint/52/3/213}},
  volume       = {{52}},
  year         = {{1997}},
}