This Article Order Full text via Infotrieve Services Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Sugihara, H. Articles by Yonemitsu, N. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Sugihara, H. Articles by Yonemitsu, N.

American Journal of Pathology, Vol 142, 783-792, Copyright © 1993 by American Society for Investigative Pathology

REGULAR ARTICLES

Reconstruction of alveolus-like structure from alveolar type II epithelial cells in three-dimensional collagen gel matrix culture

H Sugihara, S Toda, S Miyabara, C Fujiyama and N Yonemitsu
Department of Pathology, Saga Medical School, Japan.

The purpose of this study is to reconstruct an alveolus-like structure from alveolar type II epithelial cells in a culture condition. Isolated alveolar type II epithelial cells of the rat were cultured in a three- dimensional collagen gel matrix. Single type II cells formed cellular aggregates that had a lumen after cell division in this culture condition. Through proliferation of the component cells, these aggregates grew to assume a globular or branching structure, part of which in turn developed into a large, cystic alveolus-like structure. This structure consisted of flattened epithelial cells intermingled with cuboidal epithelial cells. In these structures, the surfactant production was confirmed by immunohistochemistry and electron microscopy. To our knowledge, this is the first report of a reconstruction of an alveolus-like structure in a three-dimensional collagen gel matrix culture. This culture system seems to provide an appropriate physiological environment in which to study the differentiation and disorders of pulmonary alveoli.

This article has been cited by other articles:

				M. J. Mondrinos, S. Koutzaki, P. I. Lelkes, and C. M. Finck A tissue-engineered model of fetal distal lung tissue Am J Physiol Lung Cell Mol Physiol, September 1, 2007; 293(3): L639 - L650. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				T. Gudjonsson, L. Ronnov-Jessen, R. Villadsen, F. Rank, M. J. Bissell, and O. W. Petersen Normal and tumor-derived myoepithelial cells differ in their ability to interact with luminal breast epithelial cells for polarity and basement membrane deposition J. Cell Sci., January 1, 2002; 115(1): 39 - 50. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				S. Toda, S. Matsumura, N. Fujitani, T. Nishimura, N. Yonemitsu, and H. Sugihara Transforming Growth Factor-{beta}1 Induces a Mesenchyme-Like Cell Shape without Epithelial Polarization in Thyrocytes and Inhibits Thyroid Folliculogenesis in Collagen Gel Culture Endocrinology, December 1, 1997; 138(12): 5561 - 5575. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]