Use of cultured airway epithelial cells in studies of ion transport.
In 1984, primary cultures of dog tracheal epithelium were shown to retain the ion transport processes of the original tissue. Since then, ion transport in both nasal and tracheal cell cultures has been studied with Ussing chambers, conventional and ion-sensitive microelectrodes, radiotracers, Cl-sensing fluorescent dyes, and patch clamping. Much of the resulting information could not have been obtained using the native tissues and has been especially useful in determining the ion transport defect(s) in cystic fibrosis. Recent improvements in growth conditions should make highly differentiated cell cultures routinely available, further increasing the usefulness of cultured cells for the study of ion transport by airway epithelium.
Cardiovascular Research Institute, University of California, San Francisco 94143.
J H
JH
Widdicombe
D000818:Animals; D001692:Biological Transport; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D004594:Electrophysiology / Q000379:methods; D004848:Epithelium / Q000502:physiology*; D007477:Ions; D014132:Trachea / Q000502:physiology*
D007477:Ions