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Home / Equine Research Bank / Vet J / In vitro culture of equine respiratory mucosa explants.
Veterinary journal (London, England : 1997)2008; 181(3); 280-287; doi: 10.1016/j.tvjl.2008.03.027

In vitro culture of equine respiratory mucosa explants.

Abstract: An in vitro model of the upper respiratory tract of the horse was developed to investigate mechanisms of respiratory diseases. Four tissues of the upper respiratory tract of three horses were collected. Explants were maintained in culture at an air-liquid interface for 96h. At 0, 24, 48, 72 and 96h of cultivation, a morphometric analysis was performed using light microscopy, scanning electron microscopy and transmission electron microscopy. The explants were judged on morphometric changes of epithelium, basement membrane and connective tissue. Viability was evaluated using a fluorescent Terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated dUTP Nick End Labelling (TUNEL) staining. No significant changes in morphometry and viability of any of the explants were observed during cultivation. Hence, the in vitro model may be useful to study infectious and non-infectious diseases at the level of the equine respiratory tract, with potential application to the development of vaccines and treatments for diseases of the respiratory tract.
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Publication Date: 2008-06-06 PubMed ID: 18539059DOI: 10.1016/j.tvjl.2008.03.027Google Scholar: Lookup
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  • Journal Article
  • Research Support
  • Non-U.S. Gov't

Summary

This research summary has been generated with artificial intelligence and may contain errors and omissions. Refer to the original study to confirm details provided. Submit correction.

The research article is a report on an in vitro model developed for studying diseases of the horse’s upper respiratory tract using four different tissues. The researchers cultivated the tissues and examined their morphology and viability over time, finding that the model could be potentially useful in developing vaccines and treatments for respiratory diseases.

Research Context and Goal

  • The researchers aim to create an in vitro model that replicates the upper respiratory tract of the horse for the purpose of studying respiratory diseases and their mechanisms.
  • The horse’s upper respiratory tract was selected because it often falls victim to various infectious and non-infectious diseases. Studying it more closely could aid the development of vaccines and treatments for these diseases.

Methodology and Experimentation

  • The researchers gathered four types of tissues from the upper respiratory tract of three horses. These specimens are referred to as ‘explants’.
  • These explants were then kept in a culture that was maintained at an air-liquid interface for 96 hours.
  • A morphometric analysis was carried out at 0, 24, 48, 72 and 96 hours of cultivation. This analysis looked at the shape and form of the structures within the explants.
  • Several microscopy methods were used for this analysis – light microscopy, scanning electron microscopy and transmission electron microscopy – to get a comprehensive picture of the explants’ morphology.
  • The morphometric changes in the epithelium, basement membrane, and connective tissue within the explants were specifically assessed.
  • The viability of the explants, meaning their capacity to live and function, was evaluated using a staining method known as fluorescent Terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated dUTP Nick End Labelling (TUNEL).

Results and Implications

  • The researchers observed that there were no significant changes in the morphometry and viability of any of the explants during cultivation. This suggests that the in vitro model successfully maintained the structure and function of the tissues from the horse’s upper respiratory tract over the 96-hour period.
  • Based on these results, the researchers concluded that the in vitro model could be a useful tool for studying both infectious and non-infectious diseases at the level of the equine respiratory tract.
  • The use of the model could also extend to the development of vaccines and treatments for diseases of the respiratory tract, making it an important contribution to equine medicine.

Cite This Article

APA
Vandekerckhove A, Glorieux S, Broeck WV, Gryspeerdt A, van der Meulen KM, Nauwynck HJ. (2008). In vitro culture of equine respiratory mucosa explants. Vet J, 181(3), 280-287. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tvjl.2008.03.027

Publication

Veterinary journal (London, England : 1997)
ISSN: 1090-0233
NlmUniqueID: 9706281
Country: England
Language: English
Volume: 181
Issue: 3
Pages: 280-287

Researcher Affiliations

Vandekerckhove, Annelies
  • Department of Virology, Parasitology and Immunology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ghent University, Salisburylaan 133, B-9820 Merelbeke, Belgium.
Glorieux, Sarah
    Broeck, Wim Van den
      Gryspeerdt, Annick
        van der Meulen, Karen M
          Nauwynck, Hans J

            MeSH Terms

            • Animals
            • Cilia
            • Horses / physiology
            • Microscopy
            • Nasopharynx
            • Palatine Tonsil / anatomy & histology
            • Palatine Tonsil / physiology
            • Respiratory Mucosa / anatomy & histology
            • Respiratory Mucosa / physiology
            • Time Factors
            • Tissue Culture Techniques / veterinary
            • Trachea

            Citations

            This article has been cited 14 times.
            1. Van Crombrugge E, Vanbeylen E, Van Cleemput J, Van den Broeck W, Laval K, Nauwynck H. Bacterial Toxins from Staphylococcus aureus and Bordetella bronchiseptica Predispose the Horse's Respiratory Tract to Equine Herpesvirus Type 1 Infection. Viruses 2022 Jan 14;14(1).
              doi: 10.3390/v14010149pubmed: 35062352google scholar: lookup
            2. Sayed S, Elsharkawy FM, Amin MM, Shamsel-Din HA, Ibrahim AB. Brain targeting efficiency of intranasal clozapine-loaded mixed micelles following radio labeling with Technetium-99m. Drug Deliv 2021 Dec;28(1):1524-1538.
              doi: 10.1080/10717544.2021.1951895pubmed: 34266360google scholar: lookup
            3. Liu H, Plancarte M, Ball EE, Weiss CM, Gonzales-Viera O, Holcomb K, Ma ZM, Allen AM, Reader JR, Duignan PJ, Halaska B, Khan Z, Kriti D, Dutta J, van Bakel H, Jackson K, Pesavento PA, Boyce WM, Coffey LL. Respiratory Tract Explant Infection Dynamics of Influenza A Virus in California Sea Lions, Northern Elephant Seals, and Rhesus Macaques. J Virol 2021 Jul 26;95(16):e0040321.
              doi: 10.1128/JVI.00403-21pubmed: 34037419google scholar: lookup
            4. Kamel M, Pavulraj S, Osterrieder K, Azab W. EHV-1 Pathogenesis: Current in vitro Models and Future Perspectives. Front Vet Sci 2019;6:251.
              doi: 10.3389/fvets.2019.00251pubmed: 31417917google scholar: lookup
            5. Van Cleemput J, Poelaert KCK, Laval K, Impens F, Van den Broeck W, Gevaert K, Nauwynck HJ. Pollens destroy respiratory epithelial cell anchors and drive alphaherpesvirus infection. Sci Rep 2019 Mar 18;9(1):4787.
              doi: 10.1038/s41598-019-41305-ypubmed: 30886217google scholar: lookup
            6. Van Cleemput J, Poelaert KCK, Laval K, Nauwynck HJ. Unravelling the first key steps in equine herpesvirus type 5 (EHV5) pathogenesis using ex vivo and in vitro equine models. Vet Res 2019 Feb 18;50(1):13.
              doi: 10.1186/s13567-019-0630-6pubmed: 30777128google scholar: lookup
            7. Van Cleemput J, Poelaert KCK, Laval K, Maes R, Hussey GS, Van den Broeck W, Nauwynck HJ. Access to a main alphaherpesvirus receptor, located basolaterally in the respiratory epithelium, is masked by intercellular junctions. Sci Rep 2017 Nov 30;7(1):16656.
              doi: 10.1038/s41598-017-16804-5pubmed: 29192251google scholar: lookup
            8. Negussie H, Li Y, Tessema TS, Nauwynck HJ. Replication characteristics of equine herpesvirus 1 and equine herpesvirus 3: comparative analysis using ex vivo tissue cultures. Vet Res 2016 Jan 15;47:19.
              doi: 10.1186/s13567-016-0305-5pubmed: 26768993google scholar: lookup
            9. Maes R. Felid herpesvirus type 1 infection in cats: a natural host model for alphaherpesvirus pathogenesis. ISRN Vet Sci 2012;2012:495830.
              doi: 10.5402/2012/495830pubmed: 23762586google scholar: lookup
            10. Vairo S, Van den Broeck W, Favoreel H, Scagliarini A, Nauwynck H. Development and use of a polarized equine upper respiratory tract mucosal explant system to study the early phase of pathogenesis of a European strain of equine arteritis virus. Vet Res 2013 Mar 28;44(1):22.
              doi: 10.1186/1297-9716-44-22pubmed: 23537375google scholar: lookup
            11. Nunes SF, Murcia PR, Tiley LS, Brown IH, Tucker AW, Maskell DJ, Wood JL. An ex vivo swine tracheal organ culture for the study of influenza infection. Influenza Other Respir Viruses 2010 Jan;4(1):7-15.
              doi: 10.1111/j.1750-2659.2009.00119.xpubmed: 20021502google scholar: lookup
            12. Weldearegay YB, Brogaard L, Rautenschlein S, Meens J, Valentin-Weigand P, Schaaf D. Primary cell culture systems to investigate host-pathogen interactions in bacterial respiratory tract infections of livestock. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2025;15:1565513.
              doi: 10.3389/fcimb.2025.1565513pubmed: 40415959google scholar: lookup
            13. Mohamed E, Zarak I, Vereecke N, Theuns S, Laval K, Nauwynck H. Genomic analysis and replication kinetics of the closely related EHV-1 neuropathogenic 21P40 and abortigenic 97P70 strains. Vet Res 2025 Jan 13;56(1):12.
              doi: 10.1186/s13567-024-01434-3pubmed: 39806433google scholar: lookup
            14. Portaels J, Van Crombrugge E, Van Den Broeck W, Lagrou K, Laval K, Nauwynck H. Aspergillus Fumigatus Spore Proteases Alter the Respiratory Mucosa Architecture and Facilitate Equine Herpesvirus 1 Infection. Viruses 2024 Jul 27;16(8).
              doi: 10.3390/v16081208pubmed: 39205182google scholar: lookup
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