Air-liquid interface microenvironment and its effects on growth and differentiation of mucosal epithelial cells of alimentary tract : its possible roles as a luminal factor

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Air-liquid interface (ALI) is a microenvironment for mucosal surface of alimentary tracts. We have shown that ALI microenvironment promotes the survival, growth and differentiation of gastric mucosal epithelium. In this study, we propose that ALI is a luminal factor of gastric mucosal epithelium. Our present project has demonstrated that ALI promoted the survival, proliferation and differentiation of mucosal epithelium of small and large intestines, while ALI did not affect the apoptosis. The ALI-promoted growth was intimately associated with MAP kinase cascade activation. The ALI-induced functional differentiation was closely related to the increased expression of aquaporin and pendrin molecules. These results suggest that ALI is an important luminal factor for mucosal epithelial cell types of alimentary tracts.