In vitro differentiation of ciliated cells in ALI-cultured human airway epithelium – The framework for functional studies on airway differentiation in ciliopathies

Primary cultures of the human airway epithelium (AE) cells are an indispensable tool in studies of pathophysiology of genetic and environmental pulmonary diseases, including cystic fibrosis (CF), primary ciliary dyskinesia (PCD) and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Air-liquid interface (ALI) culture is the best method to follow the differentiation of ciliated cells, whose dysfunction forms the basis of PCD. Here, we used custom-designed Taqman Low Density Array (TLDA), qRT-PCR-based assay, to analyze expression of 14 AE genes in cells from healthy donors, cultured in ALI settings using Pneumacult medium, with the focus on genes involved in cilia differentiation and in PCD pathogenesis. The results of TLDA assay were compared with the bulk RNAseq analysis, and placed in the cellular context using immunofluorescent staining (IF) of ALI cultured cells.