Human Bronchial Epithelial Cells: COPD: HBEpC-COPD

Human Bronchial Epithelial Cells (HBEpC) provide an excellent model system to study all aspects of epithelial function and disease, particularly those related to airway viral infections, as well as tissue repair mechanisms, signaling changes and potential treatments relevant to lung injuries, mechanical and oxidative stress, inflammation, pulmonary diseases and smoking. When grown on inserts and provided with the liquid/air interface, HBEpC can differentiate into a pseudostriated epithelium and serve as a more physiological 3D tissue model for in vitro studies. The HBEpC shown here were cultured (L) and immunolabeled for cytokeratin 18 (R).

Below, HBEpC from Cell Applications are stained with ACE2 and KRT5. Ongoing research suggests ACE2 is the cellular receptor utilized by SARS-CoV-2, the coronavirus that causes COVID-19, for cell entry.

HBEpC from Cell Applications, Inc. have been used to examine:

• Activation, expression and production of genes, kinases and signaling pathways by cytokines, growth factors, interleukins, binding proteins and pro-inflammatory molecules.
• Stimulation-dependent, observable changes in proliferation, bronchial epithelial permeability, crosslinking of membrane glycoproteins and cell surface adhesion molecules.  Drug discovery cell screening for in vitro assay of compounds, or to extend and confirm high-throughput work done in cell lines.
• Clinical focused discoveries leveraging HBEpC include therapeutics to suppress tumor gene transcription, apoptosis, inflammation, auto-immune disease and viral infection, while enhancing cell protection, repair and lifespan.

Characterization: Morphology consistent with epithelial origin, and positive for epithelial cell marker cytokeratin 18

For making strides in Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease, researchers and pharmaceutical discovery companies rely on primary cells isolated from patients with COPD. In this chronic disease, genetic, environmental and lifestyle factors cause the lungs and airways to deliver long-term poor air flow. The symptoms include shortness of breath, and can be life-threatening at late stages.