AlveolAir™ is an in vitro tissue model of the alveolus epithelium cultured at the air liquid interface (ALI). Its stability over time make it a powerful tool for in vitro application on the research and tests on deep lung. AlveolAir™ tissue is composed of the following cell types:
Figure 1: schematic representation of an AlveolAir™ cross section
Since 2023 we produce AlveolAir™ with high standards of quality and reproducibility, and propose it for test services at Epithelix. The tissue production is GIVIMP certified since 2023.
To ensure high predictability, AlveolAir™ is solely reconstituted using low passage, human pneumocytes isolated from alveolus region. The primary cells are isolated from human biological samples, under ethical approval and donor consent.
Healthy patients are available for AlveolAir™ production.
Our models mimic the characteristics of in vivo tissues:
A thin model with stable AT1 and AT2 ratio
Once the production cycle is terminated, AlveolAir™ is in a stable homeostatic state for 2 weeks. A unique feature is the conservation of AT1 and AT2 population ratio over this period.
Figure 2: immunofluorescence picture of AT2 staining (HTII-280 marker) and tight junctions (ZO-1)
Figure 3: Histological cross section with Alcian blue H/E staining of the tissue allowing to visualize the upper Epithelial layer (1) as well as the lower endothelial layer (2)
A surfactant secreting model
Thanks to the presence of AT2, surfactant proteins (SPx's) are apically secreted by AlveolAir™.
A barrier model
Being the final barrier in the airway tree, the tissue is naturally tight thanks to the presence of tight junctions. Barrier function could be quantified with a Trans Epithelial Electrical Resistance device, and is part of the AlveolAir™ QC.
After the production cycle the TEER remains in physiological-like values for an extensive period of time.
Figure 5: TEER time course of AlveolAir™ during: (1) production phase (2) standard stability phase
Release of soluble factors
AlveolAir™is also a very potent immune-regulator and secretes a wide panel of Cytokines, Chemokines and, Metalloproteinases that could be present at a constitutive level but also in stimulated condition.
Figure 5: example of multiple stimuli using AlveolAir™ (repeated dose testing in the culture media)
Native cell surface receptors and ion channel
Using low passage cells allows to keep the native ion channel and cell surface receptors allowing the use of the model in electrophysiology and viral infection experiments.
