Human airway epithelial culture, SEM

Human airway epithelial culture, coloured scanning electron micrograph (SEM). HAE (Human airway epithelial) cultures are derived from primary bronchial epithelial cells isolated from the airways of human lung donors or patients undergoing lung transplantation, and have been used extensively to study the biology of respiratory epithelium. The primary cells then replicate and differentiate into the pseudostratified epithelial morphology found in the airway. Mature differentiated HAE cultures can be maintained for up to two months and contain mucous-producing goblet cells (mucous red) and non-ciliated (purple) and ciliated epithelial cells (blue), and have been shown to be ideal for propagation of a wide range of human respiratory pathogens, including influenza virus. Magnification: x 2700 at 10cm. Specimen courtesy of the influenza research group, Professor Wendy Barclay Imperial College London, UK.