Biomimetic intestinal mucosa model for epithelial migration studies

Identifier:  TFG:1627

Handle: https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11797/TFG1627

Authors:  Monné Tomàs, Clàudia

Abstract:
Three layers compose the intestinal mucosa of aldult mamals: the epithelium, the lamina propia and the muscularis mucosae. The intestinal epithelium is the fastest self-renewing tissue in the body. This process involves the migration of cells from the base of the intestinal crypts, where the intestinal stem cells are located, up to the tip of the villi structures. Underneath the epithelium, we find subepithelial myofibroblasts (ISEMF) and they have been frequently associated with regulation of intestinal epithelium renewing even the mechanism remains poorly understood. We hypothesize that ISEMF do not have only a structural function under the intestinal epithelium but they facilitates epithelial expansion and migration. For this reason, we performed a new intestinal mucosa in vitro model composed by a layer of myofibroblasts and a layer of epithelial cells cultured on a hydrogel, mimicking the native environment. After characterize this in vitro model we used it for migration studies and we could observe an intimate mechanical interaction between epithelial cells and myofibroblasts.