Tracheal epithelium in culture: a model for toxicity testing of inhaled molecules.

Rabbit trachea primary cultures have been developed as a model to evaluate the toxicity of noxious airborne pollutants. A mucociliary epithelium has been restored in vitro on collagen gel. Several general cytotoxicity assays (viability and growth inhibition) permit a first assessment for the acute toxicity of the tested molecules. More specific criteria such as measurement of the integrity of the epithelial barrier and inhibition of ciliary beat frequency allow to determine a specific impact of xenobiotics on the mucociliary epithelium in culture.