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Regenerating Intestinal Crypt Culture for Biomedical Research

Summary

Unlike other organs, a major limitation to intestinal disease research has been the failure to develop a culture system that recapitulates the intestinal lining. Recent breakthroughs have enabled culture of stem cells from millions of intestinal glands (crypts).

Multicellular “organoids” are produced that mimic the intestine and can be amplified in number for drug testing, etc. However, application to biomedical research has yet to be realized.

With the help of a Mizzou Advantage grant, biological researcher Lane Clarke is examining the the utility of the culture system for this purpose and, through collaborations at MU, will establish MU as an early leader for this technological advancement of gastroenterological research.

Outcome

In winter 2012, Clarke and her colleagues published the findings of the study in the American Journal of Physiology – Cell Physiology. Entitled “Functional Cftr in Crypt Epithelium of Organotypic Enteroid Cultures from Murine Small Intestine,” the study found that crypt epithelium of murine enteroids exhibit Cftr expression and activity that recapitulates crypt epithelium in vivo. Enteroids provide a primary culture model that is suitable for physiological studies of isolated crypt epithelium.

Related Iniative(s):
One Health/One Medicine

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