Immortalised mouse submandibular epithelial cell lines retain polarised structural and functional properties

Area of Science:

• Cell Biology
• Epithelial Biology
• Developmental Biology

Background:

• The mouse submandibular gland (SMG) is a valuable model for studying hormonal and neurotransmitter regulation, epithelial transport, and gene expression.
• Postnatal development and sexual dimorphism in mouse SMGs allow for studying differentiation stages, particularly ductal cell cytodifferentiation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To establish and characterize immortalized epithelial cell lines from the mouse submandibular gland.
• To create well-characterized cellular models for studying epithelial biology and specific gene expression.

Main Methods:

• Immortalization of SMG epithelial cells using SV40 or polyoma virus transgenic mice.
• Culture of epithelial clusters, establishment of cell lines (SIMS and SIMP).
• Characterization using confocal and electron microscopy, assessment of growth potential, tumor formation, and gene/protein expression (E-cadherin, ZO-1, cytokeratins, EGF, NGF, renin).

Main Results:

• Two immortalized, non-transformed cell lines (SIMS and SIMP) were established, retaining structural and functional characteristics.
• SIMS and SIMP cells exhibit features of polarized epithelial cells, express duct-specific cytokeratins, and form polarized structures in vitro.
• These cell lines express differentiation markers like EGF, NGF, and renin, demonstrating their utility as research models.

Conclusions:

• The established SIMS and SIMP cell lines are polarized ductal epithelial models derived from the mouse SMG.
• These cell lines possess intrinsic properties and express key markers, making them valuable tools for cellular and molecular studies.
• The availability of these well-characterized models facilitates research into epithelial differentiation, transport, and gene regulation in the SMG.