Cell density governs the ability of human bronchial epithelial cells to recognize serum and transforming growth factor beta-1 as squamous differentiation-inducing agents.

Sparse (75 to 2000 cells/cm2) density cultures of normal human bronchial epithelial cells uniformly undergo terminal squamous differentiation when incubated in medium containing serum (fetal bovine serum [FBS]) or transforming growth factor beta-1 (TGF-beta 1). It was found that the cell density of the culture affects the probability that a cell will respond to these differentiation-inducing agents. Thus whereas irreversible inhibition of DNA synthesis occurs in sparse cell-density cultures within 24 hours after exposure, only a transient (less than 36 hours) depression in DNA synthesis was seen in high (more than 10,000 cells/cm2) density cultures. In addition, although phase microscopic image analysis revealed that virtually all of the cells displayed a squamous morphology within 1 hour after exposure to FBS or TGF-beta 1, observations made 48 to 72 hours later showed the presence of clusters of small prolate spheroid-shaped cells surrounded by many involucrin-positive squamous-appearing cells. Only the small cells were capable of DNA synthesis and cell division as determined by autoradiography and time-lapse photomicrographic images. These replicating cells immediately undergo squamous differentiation if they are subcultured and reinoculated at low cell density and incubated in medium supplemented with FBS or TGF-beta 1. Therefore the probability that a human bronchial epithelial cell will be refractive to FBS- or TGF-beta 1 induced terminal squamous differentiation is solely a function of the cell density of the culture.