Tubular bridges for bronchial epithelial cell migration and communication

Background: Biological processes from embryogenesis to tumorigenesis rely on the coordinated coalescence of cells and synchronized cell-to-cell communication. Intercellular signaling enables cell masses to communicate through endocrine pathways at a distance or by direct contact over shorter dimen...

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Main Authors: Zani, Brett Greer, Indolfi, Laura, Edelman, Elazer R.
Other Authors: Harvard University--MIT Division of Health Sciences and Technology
Format: Article
Language:en_US
Published: Public Library of Science 2010
Online Access:http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/54740
https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7832-7156
https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3285-7290
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author Zani, Brett Greer
Indolfi, Laura
Edelman, Elazer R.
author2 Harvard University--MIT Division of Health Sciences and Technology
author_facet Harvard University--MIT Division of Health Sciences and Technology
Zani, Brett Greer
Indolfi, Laura
Edelman, Elazer R.
author_sort Zani, Brett Greer
collection MIT
description Background: Biological processes from embryogenesis to tumorigenesis rely on the coordinated coalescence of cells and synchronized cell-to-cell communication. Intercellular signaling enables cell masses to communicate through endocrine pathways at a distance or by direct contact over shorter dimensions. Cellular bridges, the longest direct connections between cells, facilitate transfer of cellular signals and components over hundreds of microns in vitro and in vivo. Methodology/Principal Findings: Using various cellular imaging techniques on human tissue cultures, we identified two types of tubular, bronchial epithelial (EP) connections, up to a millimeter in length, designated EP bridges. Structurally distinct from other cellular connections, the first type of EP bridge may mediate transport of cellular material between cells, while the second type of EP bridge is functionally distinct from all other cellular connections by mediating migration of epithelial cells between EP masses. Morphological and biochemical interactions with other cell types differentially regulated the nuclear factor-kB and cyclooxygenase inflammatory pathways, resulting in increased levels of inflammatory molecules that impeded EP bridge formation. Pharmacologic inhibition of these inflammatory pathways caused increased morphological and mobility changes stimulating the biogenesis of EP bridges, in part through the upregulation of reactive oxygen species pathways. Conclusions/Significance: EP bridge formation appears to be a normal response of EP physiology in vitro, which is differentially inhibited by inflammatory cellular pathways depending upon the morphological and biochemical interactions between EP cells and other cell types. These tubular EP conduits may represent an ultra long-range form of direct intercellular communication and a completely new mechanism of tissue-mediated cell migration.
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spelling mit-1721.1/547402022-09-30T08:19:48Z Tubular bridges for bronchial epithelial cell migration and communication Zani, Brett Greer Indolfi, Laura Edelman, Elazer R. Harvard University--MIT Division of Health Sciences and Technology Edelman, Elazer R. Zani, Brett Greer Indolfi, Laura Edelman, Elazer R. Background: Biological processes from embryogenesis to tumorigenesis rely on the coordinated coalescence of cells and synchronized cell-to-cell communication. Intercellular signaling enables cell masses to communicate through endocrine pathways at a distance or by direct contact over shorter dimensions. Cellular bridges, the longest direct connections between cells, facilitate transfer of cellular signals and components over hundreds of microns in vitro and in vivo. Methodology/Principal Findings: Using various cellular imaging techniques on human tissue cultures, we identified two types of tubular, bronchial epithelial (EP) connections, up to a millimeter in length, designated EP bridges. Structurally distinct from other cellular connections, the first type of EP bridge may mediate transport of cellular material between cells, while the second type of EP bridge is functionally distinct from all other cellular connections by mediating migration of epithelial cells between EP masses. Morphological and biochemical interactions with other cell types differentially regulated the nuclear factor-kB and cyclooxygenase inflammatory pathways, resulting in increased levels of inflammatory molecules that impeded EP bridge formation. Pharmacologic inhibition of these inflammatory pathways caused increased morphological and mobility changes stimulating the biogenesis of EP bridges, in part through the upregulation of reactive oxygen species pathways. Conclusions/Significance: EP bridge formation appears to be a normal response of EP physiology in vitro, which is differentially inhibited by inflammatory cellular pathways depending upon the morphological and biochemical interactions between EP cells and other cell types. These tubular EP conduits may represent an ultra long-range form of direct intercellular communication and a completely new mechanism of tissue-mediated cell migration. United States. National Institutes of Health (R01 GM 49039) 2010-05-10T16:29:17Z 2010-05-10T16:29:17Z 2010-01 2009-10 Article http://purl.org/eprint/type/JournalArticle http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/54740 Zani, Brett G., Laura Indolfi, and Elazer R. Edelman. “Tubular Bridges for Bronchial Epithelial Cell Migration and Communication.” PLoS ONE 5.1 (2010): e8930. © 2010 Zani et al. https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7832-7156 https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3285-7290 en_US http://dx.doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0008930 PLoS ONE Article is made available in accordance with the publisher's policy and may be subject to US copyright law. Please refer to the publisher's site for terms of use. application/pdf Public Library of Science PLoS
spellingShingle Zani, Brett Greer
Indolfi, Laura
Edelman, Elazer R.
Tubular bridges for bronchial epithelial cell migration and communication
title Tubular bridges for bronchial epithelial cell migration and communication
title_full Tubular bridges for bronchial epithelial cell migration and communication
title_fullStr Tubular bridges for bronchial epithelial cell migration and communication
title_full_unstemmed Tubular bridges for bronchial epithelial cell migration and communication
title_short Tubular bridges for bronchial epithelial cell migration and communication
title_sort tubular bridges for bronchial epithelial cell migration and communication
url http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/54740
https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7832-7156
https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3285-7290
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