Intestinal Epithelial Cells In Vitro

Abstract

Recent advances in the biology of stem cells has resulted in signifi cant interest in the development of normal epithelial cell lines from the intestinal mucosa, both to exploit the therapeutic potential of stem cells in tissue regeneration and to develop treatment models of degenerative disorders of the digestive tract. However, the diffi culty of propagating cell lines of normal intestinal epithelium has impeded research into the molecular mechanisms underlying differentiation of stem/progenitor cells into the various intestinal lineages. Several short-term organ/organoid and epithelial cell culture models have been described. There is a dearth of long-term epithelial and/or stem cell cultures of intestine. With an expanding role of stem cells in the treatment of degenerative disorders, there is a critical need for additional efforts to develop in vitro models of stem/progenitor epithelial cells of intestine. The objective of this review is to recapitulate the current status of technologies and knowledge for in vitro propagation of intestinal epithelial cells, markers of the intestinal stem cells, and gene and protein expression profi les of the intestinal cellular differentiation.

Tissue Engineering for Tissue and Organ Regeneration

“…Though long-term cultures of primary colon epithelial cells (CEC) have been described, they remain a challenge (Chopra et al, 2010;Bartsch et al, 2004;Booth et al, 1995). Traditionally, the method referred to as organ culture was employed to study physiology and intestinal lineage outside of an organism.…”

Human Prenatal Small Intestine Cells as a Valuable Source of Stem Cells and Epithelial Cells: Phenotypic and Functional Characterization

“…These stem cells reside at the base of the crypt and provide all the lineages of epithelial cells, as they continuously divide, differentiate, and migrate toward the apex of the villus from where they slough off. 1,2 The epithelium of the adult mammalian intestine is in constant dynamic interaction with its underlying mesenchyme controlling direct progenitor proliferation, lineage commitment, terminal differentiation, and ultimately cell death. 2 Small intestine epithelial cells are potentially a suitable model for researching inflammatory bowel disease, colitis, intestinal cancer, intestinal infections and more importantly, toxicity and drug discovery.…”

“…1,2 The epithelium of the adult mammalian intestine is in constant dynamic interaction with its underlying mesenchyme controlling direct progenitor proliferation, lineage commitment, terminal differentiation, and ultimately cell death. 2 Small intestine epithelial cells are potentially a suitable model for researching inflammatory bowel disease, colitis, intestinal cancer, intestinal infections and more importantly, toxicity and drug discovery. Although recent research has described a variety of culture methods, [3][4][5][6][7] no simplified long-term culture system has been established from human prenatal intestinal tissue that maintains basic crypt-villus physiology and metabolic functionality in the differentiated state.…”

“…12 Since the use of these cell lines as tools has limitations, 2,5,9,10 efforts have been directed at developing alternative sources of human intestinal epithelial cells that maintain their functions and are easy to work with. Although culture systems of human intestinal cells have been described, [2][3][4][5][6][7][8][9] an adequate and easily obtainable primary cell culture model that is characterized and demonstrates functionality does not exist. The ideal primary cell model would contain the complete flora of cells normally found in the small intestine, be reproducible, expandable, and functional in vitro.…”

“…These data provide evidence of a natural diversity of native subpopulations of progenitor cells, stem cells, and their progeny of transit-amplifying cells. 2,3,16 HPIEC take advantage of normal stem cell properties related in organoids. 19 Future studies will aim to identify percentages of specific cell types within the HPIEC population.…”