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This Article Full Text Full Text (PDF) All Versions of this Article: 296/2/C296    most recent 00383.2008v1 Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Citation Map Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in Web of Science Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via Web of Science (1) Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Samuel, S. Articles by Mahida, Y. R. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Samuel, S. Articles by Mahida, Y. R.

EXTRACELLULAR MATRIX, CELL INTERACTIONS

Characterization of putative stem cells in isolated human colonic crypt epithelial cells and their interactions with myofibroblasts

¹Institute of Infection, Immunity and Inflammation, and Divisions of ²Gastroenterology and ³Immunology, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, United Kingdom

Submitted 23 July 2008 ; accepted in final form 9 December 2009

Colonic epithelial stem cells are believed to be located at the crypt base where they have previously been shown to express musashi-1. The colonic stem cell niche, which includes extracellular matrix and myofibroblasts (together with other cell types), is likely to be important in maintaining the function of the progenitor cells. The aims of our studies were to characterize stem cells in isolated and disaggregated human colonic crypt epithelial cells and investigate their interactions with monolayers of primary human colonic myofibroblasts. In unfractionated preparations of disaggregated colonic crypts, musashi-1 positive cells preferentially adhered to colonic myofibroblasts, despite the presence of excess blocking anti-β₁-integrin antibody. These adherent epithelial cells remained viable for a number of days and developed slender processes. Cells with side population characteristics (as demonstrated by ability to expel the dye Hoechst 33342) were consistently seen in the isolated colonic crypt epithelial cells. These side population cells expressed musashi-1, β₁-integrin, BerEP4, and CD133. Sorted side population crypt epithelial cells also rapidly adhered to primary colonic myofibroblasts. In conclusion, in preparation of isolated and disaggregated human colonic crypts, cells with stem cell characteristics preferentially adhere to primary human colonic myofibroblasts in a β₁-integrin-independent fashion.

colonic progenitor cells; side population cells