Utilization of Air-Liquid Interface Cultures as an In Vitro Model to Assess Primary Airway Epithelial Cell Responses to the Type 2 Cytokine Interleukin-13.

The airway epithelium lines the respiratory tract and provides the primary protective barrier against inhalational insults including toxic environmental substances and microorganisms. The airway epithelium also plays a critical role in regulating airway immune responses. The airway epithelial response to the type 2 cytokine, interleukin-13 (IL-13), is critical to airway inflammation, mucus production, and airway hyperresponsiveness present in asthma. Relevant primary cell models of the human airway epithelium are needed to investigate the biology of IL-13-mediated airway epithelial effects. Here, we describe the generation of a differentiated mucociliary human airway epithelium using an in vitro air-liquid interface (ALI) culture model system. We also describe methods to stimulate this culture model with IL-13 and harvest cells and biomolecules to interrogate cellular and molecular aspects of the airway epithelial IL-13 response.