EFFECT OF FLOATING A GEL MATRIX ON MUCIN RELEASE IN CULTURED AIRWAY EPITHELIAL-CELLS

Confluent cultures of primary hamster tracheal surface epithelial (HTS E) cells grown on a thick collagen gel are highly enriched with secret ory cells and constitutively release mucins. In the present experiment , we examined the possible effect of mechanical strain of cultured HTS E cells on the release of mucin. The mechanical strain of cells was ac complished by several methods: 1) by floating the gel from the culture dish by rimming; 2) by treatment with EGTA which interrupts intercell ular tight junctions; 3) by treatment with collagenase which disrupts the cell-matrix adhesion; and 4) by mechanically flexing the collagen gel matrix. All these conditions caused increases of mucin release wit hout damage on the plasma membrane. We conclude that a number of mecha nical strains which might alter cell shape can stimulate mucin release from cultured HTSE cells. Such a mechanism might be operative in the physiological regulation of airway goblet cell mucin secretion where m echanical strains may be induced on epithelial cells by underlying smo oth muscles. (C) 1993 Wiley-Liss, Inc.