RNA-Seq quantification of the human small airway epithelium transcriptome.

ABSTRACT:

Background

The small airway epithelium (SAE), the cell population that covers the human airway surface from the 6th generation of airway branching to the alveoli, is the major site of lung disease caused by smoking. The focus of this study is to provide quantitative assessment of the SAE transcriptome in the resting state and in response to chronic cigarette smoking using massive parallel mRNA sequencing (RNA-Seq).

Results

The data demonstrate that 48% of SAE expressed genes are ubiquitous, shared with many tissues, with 52% enriched in this cell population. The most highly expressed gene, SCGB1A1, is characteristic of Clara cells, the cell type unique to the human SAE. Among other genes expressed by the SAE are those related to Clara cell differentiation, secretory mucosal

SUBMITTER: Hackett NR 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3337229 | biostudies-literature | 2012 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature