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MucilAir™ (MA) : In vitro 3D human upper airway epithelium

General features of MucilAir™

MucilAir is an in vitro cell model of the human airway epithelium cultured at the air liquid interface.

Since 2006 we produce MucilAir™ with high standards of quality and reproducibility

  • Reconstituted using human primary cells at low passage (P1)
  • Remains fully differentiated and functional for over one year in culture
  • Ready and easy to use
  • Cultured in chemically defined serum-free medium
  • Available worldwide in 24 well format

Figure representing the three cell types in MucilAir™ : basal, ciliated and goblet cells

MucilAir™ is available from single donor or pool of donors

  • Single donor or pool of donors available in nasal healthy version
  • Different anatomical sites (Nasal, Tracheal or Bronchial)
  • Patients with several pathologies:
    • Healthy
    • COPD (Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease)
    • Asthma
    • Cystic Fibrosis (several mutations available)
    • Allergic Rhinitis
    • Smoker

MucilAir™ characteristics

  • Air-liquid interface
  • Production of mucus
  • Active cilia-beating
  • Active ion transport
  • Tight junctions
  • Metabolic activity
  • Cytokines, chemokines, metalloproteinases release

Morphology and Histology of MucilAir™

  1. Radial cut of MucilAir™: C=Ciliated cells; M=Mucus cells; B=Basal cells.
  2. Cross section of cilia, the microtubules’ organization is visible.
  3. Tight junction between two cells of MucilAir™.
  4. Beginning of ciliogenesis.

Ciliogenesis of MucilAir™

A time course of cilia formation monitored by anti-β tubulin immunostaining over 60 days.

After 45 days the epithelia are fully differentiated and ciliogenesis is complete, the result can be observed by Electron Microscopy:

Videomicroscopy of MucilAir™

Videomicroscopy of a MucilAir™ epithelium reconstituted from a Healthy donor. Microbeads were applied on top of the epithelium, we can see an organization of the mucociliary clearance.