Regulation of differentiation and keratin protein expression by vitamin A in primary cultures of hamster tracheal epithelial cells.
Hamster tracheal epithelial (HTE) cells maintained in primary culture show the induction of specific keratin species under vitamin A-deficient conditions. A comparison was made between the morphology and the expression of keratins in HTE cells in vivo and in primary culture with and without vitamin A. HTE cells cultured in serum-free, vitamin A-supplemented medium formed a simple cuboidal, ciliated monolayer and produced four simple epithelial keratins (7, 8, 18, and 19). In contrast, vitamin A-deficient HTE cells, which were squamous-like and stratified in culture, produced a more complex keratin pattern, with the induction of four additional keratin species (5, 6, 14, and 17). A keratin pair whose expression serves as a marker of stratified epithelia was induced, as well as a single keratin species unique to lesions of squamous metaplasia in vitamin A-deficient hamster tracheal organ cultures. Thus it appears that HTe cells retain the ability to respond to a deficiency in vitamin A through squamous differentiation and increased keratin production when removed from the intact organ and maintained in primary culture in a chemically defined medium. This system may be useful for the study of mechanisms underlying the squamous differentiation of respiratory epithelial cells in the development of bronchogenic tumors.
Edmondson
S W
SW
Department of Pathology, University of Vermont College of Medicine, Burlington 05405.
Wu
R
R
Mossman
B T
BT
D000818:Animals; D002454:Cell Differentiation / Q000187:drug effects; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D006224:Cricetinae; D004847:Epithelial Cells; D004848:Epithelium / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D005455:Fluorescent Antibody Technique; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation / Q000187:drug effects; D007633:Keratins / Q000032:analysis / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D008647:Mesocricetus; D010641:Phenotype; D014132:Trachea / Q000166:cytology* / Q000378:metabolism; D014801:Vitamin A / Q000494:pharmacology*; D014802:Vitamin A Deficiency / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology
D014801:Vitamin A; D007633:Keratins