title: Ultrathin Ceramic Membranes as Scaffolds for Functional Cell Coculture Models on a Biomimetic Scale.
abstract: Epithelial tissue serves as an interface between biological compartments. Many in vitro epithelial cell models have been developed as an alternative to animal experiments to answer a range of research questions. These in vitro models are grown on permeable two-chamber systems; however, commercially available, polymer-based cell culture inserts are around 10 μm thick. Since the basement membrane found in biological systems is usually less than 1 μm thick, the 10-fold thickness of cell culture inserts is a major limitation in the establishment of realistic models. In this work, an alternative insert, accommodating an ultrathin ceramic membrane with a thickness of only 500 nm (i.e., the Silicon nitride Microporous Permeable Insert [SIMPLI]-well), was produced and used to refine an established human alveolar barrier coculture model by both replacing the conventional inserts with the SIMPLI-well and completing it with endothelial cells. The structural-functional relationship of the model was evaluated, including the translocation of gold nanoparticles across the barrier, revealing a higher translocation if compared to corresponding polyethylene terephthalate (PET) membranes. This study demonstrates the power of the SIMPLI-well system as a scaffold for epithelial tissue cell models on a truly biomimetic scale, allowing construction of more functionally accurate models of human biological barriers.
authors.affiliation: Adolphe Merkle Institute, University of Fribourg , Fribourg, Switzerland . ; Agroscope, Institute for Livestock Sciences ILS , Posieux, Switzerland .
authors.forename: Corinne
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Jud
authors.affiliation: CSEM SA , Neuchâtel, Switzerland .
authors.forename: Sher
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ahmed
authors.affiliation: University Children's Hospital Basel , Basel, Switzerland .
authors.forename: Loretta
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Müller
authors.affiliation: Adolphe Merkle Institute, University of Fribourg , Fribourg, Switzerland .
authors.forename: Calum
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Kinnear
authors.affiliation: Adolphe Merkle Institute, University of Fribourg , Fribourg, Switzerland .
authors.forename: Dimitri
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Vanhecke
authors.affiliation: Adolphe Merkle Institute, University of Fribourg , Fribourg, Switzerland .
authors.forename: Yuki
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Umehara
authors.affiliation: Adolphe Merkle Institute, University of Fribourg , Fribourg, Switzerland .
authors.forename: Sabine
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Frey
authors.affiliation: CSEM SA , Neuchâtel, Switzerland .
authors.forename: Martha
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Liley
authors.affiliation: CSEM SA , Neuchâtel, Switzerland .
authors.forename: Silvia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Angeloni
authors.affiliation: Adolphe Merkle Institute, University of Fribourg , Fribourg, Switzerland .
authors.forename: Alke
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Petri-Fink
authors.affiliation: Adolphe Merkle Institute, University of Fribourg , Fribourg, Switzerland .
authors.forename: Barbara
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Rothen-Rutishauser
keywords: cell culture; tissue engineering; toxicology