Air–Liquid Interface Culture of Nasal Epithelial Cells on Denuded Amniotic Membranes

Laboratory models of the respiratory lining with mucin secreting epithelial goblet cells have been obtained by culturing epithelial cells under air–liquid interface (ALI) conditions, which require specific wells with semi-permeable substrates. In this study nasal epithelial cells (NEC) were successfully cultured on denuded amniotic membrane (AM) under ALI conditions. The cells adhered well on both sides of the denuded AM (i.e., the basement membrane or spongy layer) and proliferated to confluency at the same time as cells grown on a synthetic membrane. The cytoskeleton structure of cells grown on denuded AMs appeared to be denser and firmer than that of cells cultured on synthetic membranes. Cultures on the denuded AM differentiated to contain goblet cells which produce and secrete mucins and ciliated cells. Cells cultured on the denuded AM were more stable under airflow conditions than cells on the synthetic membranes. The results of this study suggest that NEC culture on denuded AM and under ALI conditions creates a stable and well-differentiated in vitro model of the nasal lining for laboratory studies.