Growth and differentiation of primary and passaged equine bronchial epithelial cells under conventional and air-liquid-interface culture conditions.
Authors: Abraham Getu, Zizzadoro Claudia, Kacza Johannes, Ellenberger Christin, Abs Vanessa, Franke Jana, Schoon Heinz-Adolf, Seeger Johannes, Tesfaigzi Yohannes, Ungemach Fritz R
Journal: BMC veterinary research
Summary
# Editorial Summary Understanding equine recurrent airway obstruction (RAO) requires reliable in vitro models that faithfully represent the living bronchial epithelium, yet primary equine bronchial epithelial cell (EBEC) cultures have remained poorly characterised and difficult to establish consistently. Getu and colleagues refined isolation and culture techniques for EBECs harvested from healthy horses, comparing conventional submerged culture conditions against air-liquid interface (ALI) culture—a method that better mimics the three-dimensional architecture and physiological environment of the intact airway. The ALI-cultured cells demonstrated superior differentiation characteristics and cellular organisation compared to conventional monolayer culture, with the differentiated epithelium developing tight junctions and ciliary structures more representative of in vivo airway tissue. These optimised EBEC cultures now provide equine researchers with a validated platform for investigating epithelial dysfunction in RAO and other inflammatory airway conditions, potentially enabling more accurate assessment of how inflammatory mediators, irritants, and therapeutic interventions affect the bronchial barrier. For practitioners, improved cell culture models translate into better-targeted research outcomes that could ultimately refine our understanding of RAO pathogenesis and support development of more effective management strategies.
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Practical Takeaways
- •This work provides a validated cell culture model that can be used to study equine airway disease mechanisms without requiring repeated horse sampling
- •The air-liquid-interface culture method is more physiologically relevant for investigating how bronchial epithelium responds to inflammatory stimuli and potential therapeutic interventions
- •Understanding epithelial cell behaviour in vitro may help identify new targets for managing RAO in clinical practice
Key Findings
- •Primary equine bronchial epithelial cells (EBEC) were successfully isolated and cultured from healthy horses using optimized techniques
- •Air-liquid-interface culture conditions promoted better differentiation and mimicked in vivo airway epithelial conditions more closely than conventional submerged culture
- •Differentiated EBEC cultures can serve as a validated in vitro model for investigating epithelial contributions to airway inflammation in equine respiratory diseases