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Updated: Mar 25, 2026
Culture and Imaging of Human Nasal Epithelial Organoids
Published on: December 17, 2021
Nasal organoids as optimal models for studying structure and function of primary nasal epithelial cell cultures
Mahnaz Ramezanpour1, George Bouras1, Sholeh Feizi1
1Adelaide Medical School, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide, Australia; The Department of Surgery - Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, The University of Adelaide and the Basil Hetzel Institute for Translational Health Research, Central Adelaide Local Health Network, South Australia, Australia.
Background:
Primary cell cultures serve as representative model systems for studying the normal physiology and biochemistry of cells. However, various methods exist for culturing these cells, and it remains unclear how these methods impact cell physiology.
Methods:
Participants included both non-CRS control individuals and patients diagnosed with chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyps (CRSwNP). Human nasal epithelial cells (HNECs) were collected from nasal brushings and cultured under four different conditions: monolayers, air-liquid interface (ALI) cultures, Dome organoids, and ALI organoids, resulting in a total of 40 samples, including nasal brushings. We utilized the latest advances in mass spectrometry (MS) technology to gain new insights into how these different culture methods affect the protein expression of HNECs.
Results:
Gene set enrichment analyses comparing nasal brushings from healthy and chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyps (CRSwNP) patients to HNECs cultured in various conditions showed that organoid cultures closely resemble nasal brushings. Ultrastructural analysis revealed opposing orientations of differentiated cells in Dome and ALI organoids, with ALI organoids showing increased expression of cilia-related proteins and cilia positioned on the external surface of the organoids. Both ALI and Dome organoids contained ciliated cells; however, cilia beat frequency measurements were more consistent and uniform in ALI organoids compared to Dome organoids.
Conclusions:
This research could contribute to future studies aiming to improve our understanding of the pathophysiology and treatment of CRS.
