Extracellular Matrix and Bronchial Epithelial Cell Migration

Abstract

Migration of epithelial cells is an important feature of wound healing. Components of extracellular matrix are chemotactic for other cells, and we hypothesized that basement membrane components, laminin and type IV collagen, are chemotactic for bovine bronchial epithelial cells (BBEC). The BBEC were obtained and cultured for 3 days in medium 199 supplemented with insulin, transferrin, hydrocortisone, epidermal growth factor, antibiotics, and 10% fetal calf serum. After rinsing, the cells were trypsinized and resuspended at 1 × 106 in un supplemented medium 199, and used as the cell source for chemotaxis. Chemotaxis was measured by a modified Boyd en blind-well chamber technique using 8-μ filters (Nucleopore) coated with 1% gelatin in a 48-multiwell chamber for 6 h at 37°C. The one-half maximal dose for migration was 10 μg/ml for plasma fibronectin, I μg/ml for type IV collagen, and 1 μg/ml for laminin. “Checkerboard” analysis demonstrated that the migration was both chemokinetic and chemotactic for all the components studied.