Development of a lung slice preparation for recording ion channel activity in alveolar epithelial type I cells.
BACKGROUND
Lung fluid balance in the healthy lung is dependent upon finely regulated vectorial transport of ions across the alveolar epithelium. Classically, the cellular locus of the major ion transport processes has been widely accepted to be the alveolar type II cell. Although evidence is now emerging to suggest that the alveolar type I cell might significantly contribute to the overall ion and fluid homeostasis of the lung, direct assessment of functional ion channels in type I cells has remained elusive.


METHODS
Here we describe a development of a lung slice preparation that has allowed positive identification of alveolar type I cells within an intact and viable alveolar epithelium using living cell immunohistochemistry.


RESULTS
This technique has allowed, for the first time, single ion channels of identified alveolar type I cells to be recorded using the cell-attached configuration of the patch-clamp technique.


CONCLUSIONS
This exciting new development should facilitate the ascription of function to alveolar type I cells and allow us to integrate this cell type into the general model of alveolar ion and fluid balance in health and disease.
Bourke
Steven
S
Cardiff School of Biosciences, Museum Avenue, Cardiff CF10 3US, Wales, UK. bourkesa@cf.ac.uk
Mason
Helen S
HS
Borok
Zea
Z
Kim
Kwang-Jin
KJ
Crandall
Edward D
ED
Kemp
Paul J
PJ
D000818:Animals; D018929:Cell Culture Techniques / Q000379:methods*; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D004847:Epithelial Cells / Q000166:cytology / Q000502:physiology*; D015640:Ion Channel Gating / Q000502:physiology; D007473:Ion Channels / Q000502:physiology*; D018408:Patch-Clamp Techniques / Q000379:methods; D011650:Pulmonary Alveoli / Q000166:cytology* / Q000502:physiology*; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D020545:Respiratory Mucosa / Q000166:cytology / Q000502:physiology*; D046509:Tissue Culture Techniques / Q000379:methods*
D007473:Ion Channels