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Updated: Jun 4, 2026

Using Caco-2 Cells to Study Lipid Transport by the Intestine
Published on: August 20, 2015
[Establishment and assessment of Caco-2 cell in vitro absorption model]
Long-Ying Zha1, Hai-Ji Luo, Hong Deng
1Department of Nutrition and Food Hygiene, School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China. lyzha@fimmu.com
Objective:
To establish and assess the Caco-2 cell in vitro absorption model.
Methods:
Caco-2 cells were cultured on the millipore filters fixed in Snapwell transport chamber. The cell morphology, transepithelial electrical resistance, mannitol efflux rate and alkaline phosphatase activities were monitored during culture.
Results:
After 21 days of in vitro culture, formation of tight junction was observed between the cells. The transepithelial electrical resistance reach a relatively stable value of 620-/+47 Omega.cm(2), the mannitol efflux rate was lower than 0.3%.h(-1).cm(-2), and the alkaline phosphatase activity in the apical side was significantly higher than that in the basolateral side.
Conclusion:
The established Caco-2 cell model shows similar morphology to intestinal epithelial cells with formation of polarity, and can be used as an in vitro model for absorption studies.
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