There have been significant advances in research involving the isolation
and culture of epithelial cells in the past decade, and many new
techniques have been developed. Monolayer cultures can be used to
evaluate the nature and behavior of cells, while the use of epithelial
cells in model systems has allowed a deeper understanding of cellular
and molecular mechanisms and interactions. The aim of this book is to
provide a comprehensive, step-by-step guide to many techniques for
epithelial cell culture, combining in one volume the more commonly used
protocols along with many that are more speci- ized. Epithelial Cell
Culture Protocols should help those who are new to this field and want
to learn the basic culture techniques, as well as those needing to use
more wide ranging and specific protocols. It should be a useful resource
on its own, and also complement the other volumes that have been written
about cell culture in the Methods in Molecular Biology series.
Epithelial Cell Culture Protocols covers a wide variety of protocols,
mostly aimed at the researcher, but also a few aimed at clinicians. The
est- lishment and maintenance of primary cultures derived from many
different tissues and different species is covered. Particular emphasis
has been placed on protocols needed to further analyze and assess
epithelial cells, for example, by looking at apoptosis and integrins and
by measuring membrane capa- tance and confluence. Using different
co-culture techniques, it is possible also to develop models to
investigate many different systems in vitro.
