Apical polarity in three-dimensional culture systems: where to now?
Delineation of the mechanisms that establish and maintain the polarity of epithelial tissues is essential to understanding morphogenesis, tissue specificity and cancer. Three-dimensional culture assays provide a useful platform for dissecting these processes but, as discussed in a recent study in BMC Biology on the culture of mammary gland epithelial cells, multiple parameters that influence the model must be taken into account.
Inman
Jamie L
JL
Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Division of Life Sciences, 1 Cyclotron Road, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA.
Bissell
Mina J
MJ
D000818:Animals; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000502:physiology; D002454:Cell Differentiation / Q000502:physiology*; D016764:Cell Polarity / Q000502:physiology*; D049109:Cell Proliferation; D002470:Cell Survival / Q000502:physiology; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D004847:Epithelial Cells / Q000166:cytology / Q000502:physiology*; D004848:Epithelium / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D008321:Mammary Glands, Animal / Q000166:cytology; D042361:Mammary Glands, Human / Q000166:cytology*; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000502:physiology; D046509:Tissue Culture Techniques / Q000379:methods; D023822:Tissue Engineering; D054457:Tissue Scaffolds / Q000145:classification