Characterization Of A Novel Human Primary Intestinal Epithelial Monolayer Platform In Response To A Cytokine Challenge

The ability to grow and expand primary human epithelial cells in vitro has been a significant advancement in the field of gastrointestinal biology. The ALTIS RepliGut Planar system uses a proprietary biomimetic scaffold on a porous membrane to form a human intestinal epithelial monolayer. These stem cell driven monolayers form a polarized functional barrier  after differentiation as seen by transepithelial electrical resistance (TEER) and the localization of tight junction proteins/apical brush border. Additionally, the cells are heterogenous with the expression of epithelial  differentiation markers as seen by immunostaining.

Epithelial responses to cytokines, such as TNFα, have been well characterized in murine models. Here, we test human primary intestinal epithelial cells from multiple human donors in the RepliGut Planar system to see if they can recapitulate a similar response and to capture the variability that may occur in humans from a genetically diverse background.