The purpose of the Human Airway Cell and Tissue ore is to provide human airway cell models and establish a bank of Cystic Fibrosis (CF) and non- Cystic Fibrosis (non-CF) lung tissue for a number of research projects within the Cystic Fibrosis Research CENTER. Accordingly, the specific aims are: 1. To establish primary cultures of human airway epithelium from cystic fibrosis and non-cystic fibrosis lung for studies of CFTR function in F and non-CF airway. Studies of CFTR function are best performed in human airway epithelium. To create a laboratory model of human airway, cells derived from human airway are grown in the laboratory on permeable supports to induce differentiation and recapitulate airway surface epithelium in vitro. This model will be used for Center projects that seek to evaluate the cellular physiology and mechanisms of membrane trafficking of CFTR. 2. To determine the genotype of the CF airway epithelial cells. To permit correlation of genotype with drug-induced changes in ion transport and CFTR function in primary airway cells, mutation analysis for the 70 most common CF mutations will be obtained from a reference laboratory. 3. To create a frozen bank of CF and non-CF airway cells and airway tissue. Isolated airway cells and segments of dissected lung will be frozen with and without prior fixation to establish a cell and tissue bank for future use that attempts to understand more about how mutations in the CF gene cause lung disease and allow comparison of mRNA and protein expression in CF and non-CF lung tissue.
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