Newcells has developed an air-liquid interface (ALI) culture as a valuable tool for modelling the small airways of the lung in vitro and evaluating the lung toxicity of potential drug candidates
Lung toxicity and lung fibrosis occur as a result of inhalation of particles, pathogens and therapeutics but also following repeated administration of systemic and oral drugs.
The first line of defence of the lung is provided by lung epithelial cells which line the airways. Any epithelial damage or loss of epithelial barrier integrity leads to an increased susceptibility to infection, an impairment of gas exchange and triggers an immune response leading to inflammation, tissue damage and possibly lung toxicity. A loss of epithelial barrier function and the initiation of inherent repair mechanisms are also contributing factors to lung fibrosis.
The high vascularisation of the lung increases it susceptibility to drug-induced lung toxicity, especially upon repeated administration. Therapeutic molecules can thus induce cytokine release,  initiate an immune response and even a breakdown of the epithelial barrier, similarly to inhaled particles and pathogens. It is therefore essential to develop advanced in vitro epithelial cell culture models such as our SAEC model to accelerate the development of safe drugs and to understand lung damage, repair and fibrosis.
Service outputs
- LDH release assay
- ATP activity quantification
- MTT activity
- TEER
