Human airway epithelial cell comparisons

Expression data from airway brush biopsy samples, differentiated primary cultures of human airway epithelia, CaLu3 cultures at the air liquid interface, and primary cultures of human airway epithelia submerged in nutrient media Organotypic cultures of primary human airway epithelial cells have been used to investigate the morphology, ion and fluid transport, innate immunity, transcytosis, infection, inflammation, signaling, cilia and repair functions of this complex tissue. However, we do not know how close these cultures resemble the epithelia in vivo. In this study, we examine the genome-wide expression profile of human airway epithelial cells in vivo obtained from brush biopsies of the trachea and bronchus of healthy volunteers and compare it to the expression profile of primary cultures of human airway epithelia grown at the air-liquid interface. For comparison we also investigate the expression profile of Calu3 cells grown at the air-liquid interface and primary cultures of human airway epithelia submerged in nutrient media. We compare the transcriptional profile of human in vivo airway epithelia from trachea and bronchus to differentiated primary human airway epithelia cultures, also from trachea and bronchus, and grown at the air-liquid interface. We also included the profile of Calu3 cultures grown at the air-liquid interface and primary cultures submerged in nutrient media.