title: Effect of fibroblasts on tracheal epithelial regeneration in vitro.
abstract: Several artificial grafts for covering deficient trachea have been produced through tissue engineering. Recently, our group clinically used an artificial trachea made from collagen sponge for patients with noncircumferential tracheal resection. However, the slowness of epithelial regeneration on the surface of the artificial trachea was confirmed as one particular problem. In this study, we co-cultured tracheal epithelial cells with fibroblasts and examined effects of fibroblasts on epithelial regeneration in vitro. Fibroblasts activated epithelial cell proliferation and migration. In co-culture with fibroblasts, epithelial cells reconstructed pseudostratified epithelium, which was composed of ciliated, goblet, and basal cells. Furthermore, a basement membrane was reconstructed between epithelial cells and fibroblasts, and integrin beta4 was also observed there. Fibroblasts rapidly increased mucin secretion by epithelial cells. These results indicate that stimulatory effects of fibroblasts on epithelial cell migration, proliferation, and differentiation would reduce the time required for covering of epithelial cells on the defect of luminal surface and hasten regeneration of morphologically and functionally normalized epithelium involving the reconstruction of basement membrane.
authors.affiliation: Department of Otolaryngology, School of Medicine, Fukushima Medical University, Fukushima, Japan. kobaken@fmu.ac.jp
authors.forename: Ken
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kobayashi
authors.forename: Yukio
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Nomoto
authors.forename: Teruhisa
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Suzuki
authors.forename: Yasuhiro
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Tada
authors.forename: Masao
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Miyake
authors.forename: Akihiro
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Hazama
authors.forename: Shinichi
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kanemaru
authors.forename: Tatsuo
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Nakamura
authors.forename: Koichi
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Omori
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D030801:Animals, Genetically Modified; D021522:Bioartificial Organs; D002454:Cell Differentiation / Q000502:physiology; D002465:Cell Movement / Q000502:physiology; D049109:Cell Proliferation; D018920:Coculture Techniques; D004847:Epithelial Cells / Q000166:cytology / Q000502:physiology*; D004848:Epithelium / Q000502:physiology; D005347:Fibroblasts / Q000166:cytology / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D012038:Regeneration / Q000502:physiology*; D023822:Tissue Engineering / Q000379:methods; D014132:Trachea / Q000166:cytology / Q000293:injuries / Q000502:physiology*