TY - JOUR T1 - Generation of an immortalized functional alveolar epithelial cell line originating from human induced pluripotent stem cells JF - European Respiratory Journal JO - Eur Respir J DO - 10.1183/13993003.congress-2016.PA4030 VL - 48 IS - suppl 60 SP - PA4030 AU - Luca Tamo AU - Youssef Hibaoui AU - Sampada Kallol AU - Marco Alves AU - Christiane Albrecht AU - Anis Feki AU - Amiq Gazdhar AU - Thomas Geiser Y1 - 2016/09/01 UR - http://erj.ersjournals.com/content/48/suppl_60/PA4030.abstract N2 - The establishment of an alveolar epithelial cell (AEC) line derived from induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSC) represents a novel opportunity in lung disease modelling and tissue engineering. In the present study, we succeeded in generating type II AECs from iPSCs. To ensure homogeneous and long term propagation of these cells, iPSC-derived type II AECs, were immortalized by human telomerase reverse transcriptase andpolycomb complex protein BMI-1 lentiviral vectors. The generated type II AEC line displayed morphological characteristics of type II AECs including growing as a cobble stone monolayer. Thus, electron microscopy analysis of this cell line confirmed the presence of lamellar body and microvilli. Also this cell line expressed type II AEC proteins such as cytokeratin, surfactant protein C and lysotracker DND 26 (marker for lamellar body). Furthermore, the type II AEC line exhibited functional properties of type II AECs including an increase of their transepithelial electrical resistance over time and an improved wound closure in presence of serum in the invitro wound healing assay. Upon TNF-α stimulation, these cells released IL-6 an IL-8 cytokines. Consistent with type II AEC phenotype, the cell line showed the ability to uptake and release of surfactant protein B and to differentiate towards type I AECs. Altogether, this study established immortalized type II AECs derived from iPSCs as a novel cellular model for lung disease modelling and tissue engineering. ER -