Method for culturing mammalian respiratory epithelial cells

Abstract

A method of culturing non-transformed mammalian respiratory epithelial cells in vitro. The method includes the steps of harvesting the epithelial cells from the respiratory tract of a mammalian donor; suspending the epithelial cells in a fluid culture medium to form a cell suspension; introducing the cell suspension into a first reservoir in communication with an adherence substrate; introducing additional fluid culture medium into a second reservoir separated from the first reservoir by a fluid permeable baffle; incubating the cells under conditions suitable for promoting epithelial cell growth for a period of at least 72 hours; and changing the fluid culture medium within the second reservoir during the incubation period at intervals of approximately 24-72 hours without disturbing the epithelial cells within the first reservoir. Preferably, the epithelial cells are harvested from the nasal mucosa of a human donor using a minimally-invasive brushing technique. A novel culture dish suitable for carrying out the method is also described. The culture dish includes first and second reservoirs for holding fluid culture medium; a fluid permeable first baffle separating the first and second reservoirs; an adherence substrate in communication with at least the first reservoir; and an open-ended second baffle positionable within the first reservoir between the first baffle and the adherence substrate for restricting the circulation of the fluid culture medium within the first reservoir.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.