Protein profiling of cultured primary alveolar epithelial type II cells reveals a rapid loss of the alveolar phenotype

The alveolar epithelium is organized mainly by two cell types, alveolar epithelial type I (AECI) and type II cells (AECII). AECII are the main cell type involved in regeneration of the alveolar epithelium, largely via proliferation and trans(differentiation) into AECI. In vitro, defining the AECI and AECII phenotype remains a challenging task, although primary AECII have been proposed to (trans)differentiate into AECI-like cells over time. Using 2D-gel electrophoresis and mass spectrometry, we characterized protein expression profiles of primary mouse AEC cultured in the presence/absence of fibronectin (FN) over…