EpiAirwayisaready-to-use,3Dmucociliarytissuemodelconsistingofnormal,human-derivedtracheal/bronchialepithelialcellsalsoavailableasaco-culturesystemwithnormalhumanstromalfibroblasts(EpiAirwayFT).Culturedattheair-liquidinterface(ALI),EpiAirwayrecapitulatestheinvivophenotypesofbarrier,mucociliaryresponses,infection,toxicityresponsesanddisease.Withover100technicalreferencesavailable,EpiAirwayisamenabletoacuteorlong-termchronicstudiesacrossawiderangeofhighlypredictiveinvitroapplications.

EpiAirwayexhibitshumanrelevanttissuestructureandcellularmorphologywithhighuniformityandreproducibility.Its3DstructureconsistsoforganizedKeratin5+basalcells,mucusproducinggobletcells,functionaltightjunctionsandbeatingcilia.EpiAirwayFTincorporateshumanfibroblastsinanextracellularstromalmatrixidealforinflammationandfibrosisresearch.

TheEpiAirway3Dhumantissuemodelisroutinelyutilizedforarangeofapplicationsincludingsafety&riskassessment,anti-viralresearch,inflammation&fibrosisanddrugdelivery.Simpleprotocolsandtheevaluationofearlycellularendpointsallowscientiststoacquiredataindays,notweeksormonths.

VirusInfection

UseEpiAirwaytostudyrespiratoryvirusattachment,replication,innateimmuneresponsesandanti-viraldrugdevelopment.

ViralInfectionReference

DrugDelivery

UtilizeexistingtransdermalpermeationequipmentorMatTek’ssimplesingleinsertpermeationdevicestoassessAPIpermeationandflux.

DrugDeliveryProtocol

DrugDeliveryReference

InhalationToxicology

UseEpiAirway(availableinseveralformatsforphysiologicalexposuresystems)todeterminerelativesafetywiththeEpiAirwayIC-75assay.

EpiAirwayToxicityProtocol

InhalationToxicologyReference

InflammationandFibrosis

EmployEpiAirway’sdiversedonorinventoryofhealthyanddiseaseddonors(Asthma,COPD,Smoker,GobletCellHyperplasia)toelucidatemolecularpathwaysandassesstherapeuticefficacy.

ViewtheMatTek ReferenceLibrary

Tissue

Kit:AstandardEpiAirwaykit(AIR-100)consistsof24tissues.(Tissue“kits”containtissues,asmallamountofculturemedium,andplasticware;contactMatTekforspecifickitcontents)

Formats:

• 9mm&22mmindividualinserts–tissueculturesubstrateischemicallymodifiedwithaporesizeof0.4μm
• 24mm,12mm&6.5mmTranswellinsertswithaporesizeof0.4μm
• 96-wellHTSplates–tissueculturesubstrateischemicallymodifiedwithaporesizeof0.4μm

Culture:Air-liquidinterface

Histology:3-4celllayers–pseudostratified,mucociliarymorphologyandtissuestructure

Lotnumbers:Tissuelotsproducedeachweekareassignedaspecificlotnumber.Aletterofthealphabetisappendedtotheendofthelotnumbertodifferentiatebetweenindividualkitswithinagivenlotoftissues.Alltissuekitswithinalotareidenticalinregardstocells,medium,handling,cultureconditions,etc.

Shipment:At4°Conmedium-supplemented,agarosegels

Shipmentday:EveryMonday

Delivery:TuesdaymorningviaFedExpriorityservice(US).OutsideUS:Tuesday-Thursdaydependingonlocation

Shelflife:Includingtimeintransit,tissuesmaybestoredat4°Cforupto3dayspriortouse.However,extendedstorageperiodsarenotrecommendedunlessnecessary.Inaddition,thebestreproducibilitywillbeobtainediftissuesareusedconsistentlyonthesameday,e.g.Tuesdayafternoonorfollowingovernightstorageat4°C(Wednesdaymorning)

Lengthofexperiments:TissueculturescanbecontinuedforTHREE(3)MONTHSormorewithgoodretentionofnormalmorphology.Tissuesmustbefedeveryotherdaywith5.0mlofmaintenancemedium(AIR-100-MM). Cellcultureinsertsareplacedatopwashers(EPI-WSHR)orculturestands(MEL-STND)in6-wellplatestoallowusof5.0ml. Seetechnicalreference#631.

Cells

Type:Normalhumantracheal/bronchialepithelialcells(NHBE);

Geneticmake-up:Singledonor

Derivedfrom:Healthy,non-smoker(alternatedonorsavailableuponrequest)

Alternatives:NHBEfromAsthmatic,COPDandSmokerdonors

Screenedfor:HIV,Hepatitis-B,Hepatitis-C,mycoplasma

Medium

Basemedium:Dulbecco’sModifiedEagle’sMedium(DMEM)

Growthfactors/hormones:Epidermalgrowthfactorsandotherproprietaryfactors

Serum:None

Antibiotics:Gentamicin5µg/ml(10%ofnormalgentamicinlevel)

Anti-fungalagent:AmphotericinB0.25µg/ml

pHIndicator:Phenolred

Otheradditives:Proprietary

Alternatives:Phenolred-free,antibiotic-free,anti-fungal-freemediumandtissuesareavailable.Agentsareremovedatleast3dayspriortoshipment.

Assaymedium:AIR-100-ASY

Maintenancemedium:AIR-100-MM

QualityControlandSterility

Visualinspection:Alltissuesarevisuallyinspectedandifphysicalimperfectionsarenoted,tissuesarerejectedforshipment

End-usetesting:Transepithelialelectricalresistance(TEER)ofeachEpiAirwaylotismeasuredusinganEVOM2epithelialVolthommeterandEndohmelectrodechamber(WorldPrecisionInstruments).AminimumTEERof300Ohm•cm²isrequiredforQCrelease.

Sterility:Allmediausedthroughouttheproductionprocessischeckedforsterility.Maintenancemediumisincubatedwithoutantibioticsfor1weekandcheckedforsterility.Theagarosegelfromthe24-wellplateusedforshippingisalsoincubatedfor1weekandcheckedforanysignofcontamination

Screeningforpathogens:AllcellsarescreenedandarenegativeforHIV,hepatitisBandhepatitisCusingPCR.However,noknowntestmethodcanoffercompleteassurancethatthecellsarepathogenfree.Thus,theseproductsandallhumanderivedproductsshouldbehandledatBSL-2levels(biosafetylevel2)orhigherasrecommendedintheCDC-NIHmanual,“Biosafetyinmicrobiologicalandbiomedicallaboratories,”1998.Forfurtherassistance,pleasecontactyoursiteSafetyOfficerorMatTektechnicalservice

Notificationoflotfailure:IfatissuelotfailsourQCorsterilitytesting,thecustomerwillbenotifiedandthetissueswillbereplacedwithoutchargewhenappropriate.BecauseourQCandsterilitytestingisdonepost-shipment,notificationwillbemadeassoonaspossIBLe(Undernormalcircumstances, TEERfailureswillbenotifiedbyWednesday5p.m.;sterilityfailureswillbenotifiedwithin8daysofshipment)