title: Osmotic and other properties of isolated human cheek epithelial cells.
abstract: This study describes some biological properties of human cheek (buccal epithelial) cells, isolated by mouth wash. Yields ranged from 6.5 to 20.6 x 10(6) cells, with a mean (+/- SE) of 12.2 +/- 4.2 x 10(6) cells, which gave 0.55 +/- 0.01 x 10(6) cells/mg protein. Vital stain exclusion was similar in cells isolated in either water (89 +/- 2%) or 250 mM sucrose (87 +/- 3%). From our measurements of cell volume and electrolyte content, we estimated intracellular Na+ and K+ concentrations to be between 0.3-0.5 and 7.4-13.0 mM, respectively. In 22 adult subjects, basal, prickle, intermediate, and superficial cells represented 0.3 +/- 1.4, 51 +/- 2.4, 26 +/- 0.9, and 22.7 +/- 1.8%, respectively, of the total sample. Cheek cells exhibited a low endogenous rate of oxygen consumption, which was stimulated by glucose or succinate and inhibited by KCN or NaF. Cheek cells were osmotically stable in a wide range of media, including water. However, they exhibited shrinkage and collapse in hypertonic media, particularly polyethylene glycol.
authors.affiliation: Division of Human Nutrition, Glenthorne Laboratory, Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization, Australia.
authors.forename: E J
authors.initials: EJ
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: G S
authors.initials: GS
authors.lastname: Patten
authors.forename: S L
authors.initials: SL
authors.lastname: Burnard
authors.forename: E J
authors.initials: EJ
authors.lastname: McMurchie
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002469:Cell Separation; D002470:Cell Survival; D002610:Cheek; D004573:Electrolytes / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009061:Mouth Mucosa / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism*; D009995:Osmosis; D010101:Oxygen Consumption; D013194:Staining and Labeling
chemical_list: D004573:Electrolytes