Understanding Cellular Mechanisms Underlying Airway Epithelial Repair: Selecting the Most Appropriate Animal Models
Figure 2
In the normal airways (undamaged), goblet cells were clearly stained with AB-PAS staining (top left panel). At six to twenty-four hours after-injury, PAS-positive cell is no longer retained the characteristic morphology of goblet cells but rather were attenuated in appearance (top right panel; thick arrows) indicating potential epithelial dedifferentiation. By day 3 after-injury, a layer of positive AB-PAS staining was observed overlying the repairing epithelial surface. Closer examination determined that the layer was comprised of a dense and compact accumulation of neutrophils held within and below the mucin layer (bottom left panel; thin arrows). By day 7 after-injury regenerating goblet cells could be seen incorporated in the epithelium overlying the brushed site (bottom right panel; arrows head) an observation taken to imply epithelial redifferentiation was underway. () [88].
