Effect of the ROCK inhibitor Y-27632 on Proliferation and Differentiation of Equine Bronchial Epithelial Cells

The airway epithelium plays an important role in physiological and pathological processes including inflammation, innate immunity and regenerative responses in the respiratory tract with regard to airway diseases such as human asthma, COPD and Equine Recurrent Airway Obstruction (RAO). Airway epithelial cell lines which would serve as an in vitro cell model are, indeed, missing for the horse. The objective of the study is to establish long-term equine bronchial epithelial cell cultures using the ROCK inhibitor Y-27632 and characterize them. Fresh isolated EBEC were cultured in the presence and absence of 10µM Y-…