Ready-to-use 3D Human Pulmonary Alveolar Epithelial Cell Spheroids

The lung is a complex organ with a large and highly vascularized epithelial surface area. Gas exchange in the lung occurs in the air-filled alveoli containing type I and II alveolar epithelial cells. Type II cells function as progenitor cells in the alveoli and proliferate and differentiate into type I cells, while type I cells are involved in gas exchange [1]. Type II cells not only proliferate to maintain the epithelium but also play critical roles in respiration and host defense mechanism through production of the pulmonary surfactants (SPs) [1]. Type II cells, however, lose their functional markers within a few days of cultivation in 2D culture. Studies have shown that when alveolar epithelial cells are cultured in three-dimensional (3D) cell culture, cells maintain their epithelial functional markers [2]. To provide a more native in vitro lung model, ScienCell offers ready-to-use human pulmonary alveolar epithelial cell spheroids (SP3D-HPAEpiS), which express the surfactant proteins such as SP-A, -B, -C, and –D (Figures 1 and 2). These spheroids are ready for experiments at 24 hours post thawing, and are an excellent in vitro model for studying the contribution of the alveolar epithelial cells to alveolar maintenance and repair.