In vitro ciliary development in an epithelial stem equivalent cell line M3E3/C3 derived from the fetal Syrian hamster lung

Failure in airway regeneration after injury may result in profound consequences like a disease with bronchiolitis obliterans. Re-building of ciliated cells is a good marker for resumed airway activity. We decided to investigate whether M3E3C3,a fetal hamster stem equivalent cell line, is capable of in vitro ciliogenesis. Immunoreactivity and qRT-PCR have revealed that this cell line expresses a stem cell marker Sox2 and another marker, Clara cell secretory protein (CCSP) specific for the stem cells in the bronchiolar region. An embryonic stem cell factor Oct4 was negative. The cells 3D-cultured at the air-liquid…