The human airway epithelial basal cell transcriptome.

ABSTRACT:

Background

The human airway epithelium consists of 4 major cell types: ciliated, secretory, columnar and basal cells. During natural turnover and in response to injury, the airway basal cells function as stem/progenitor cells for the other airway cell types. The objective of this study is to better understand human airway epithelial basal cell biology by defining the gene expression signature of this cell population.

Methodology/principal findings

Bronchial brushing was used to obtain airway epithelium from healthy nonsmokers. Microarrays were used to assess the transcriptome of basal cells purified from the airway epithelium in comparison to the transcriptome of the differentiated airway epithelium. This analysis identified the "human airway basal cell signature" as 1,161 u

SUBMITTER: Hackett NR 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3087716 | biostudies-literature | 2011 May

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature