In Vitro Models for Studying Mucosal Defense

TOPICAL COLLECTIONS

Guest Editors

Hazel Ozuna

Department of Pediatrics, Emory University

Dr. Ozuna is a Post-Doctoral Fellow at the Emory Children’s Center at Emory University Medical School. Dr. Ozuna obtained a BS in Molecular and Cellular Biology at the Ana G. Méndez University in Puerto Rico in 2010. Following, she obtained two MS, in Biology (2014) at the Illinois State University and in Microbiology & Immunology (2016) at University of Louisville. Dr. Ozuna obtained her PhD in 2022 in the lab of Drs. Donald Demuth and Silvia Uriarte. Her work demonstrated that human neutrophils synthesize and release epinephrine and this is exploited by the oral pathogen Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans for growth and virulence. Dr. Ozuna is interested in the study of immunohormonal responses in disease pathogenesis, which she currently applies to cystic fibrosis (CF) in the lab of Dr. Benjamin Kopp. Her work investigates the effect of current CF modulator therapies on macrophages in combination with the novel compound AR-13.

Irina Miralda Molina

Seattle Children’s Research Institute

Dr. Miralda is a Post-Doctoral Fellow at the Center for Immunity and Immunotherapy at Seattle Children’s Research Institute. Dr. Miralda received a BS in Biology (2014) at the University of Louisville, followed by a MS(2017) and PhD (2020) in Microbiology & Immunology from the University of Louisville. During her PhD in the lab of Dr. Silvia Uriarte, Dr. Miralda studied the interactions between human neutrophils and the emerging oral pathogen, Filifactor alocis, and their contribution to the pathogenesis of periodontitis. Now, her postdoctoral fellowship in the lab of Dr. Adrian Piliponsky expands Dr. Miralda’s area of expertise to mast cells, which play an important regulatory role in the innate immune response in allergic reactions and infections in mucosal tissues.

Collection Overview

The mucosal immune system plays an indispensable role in the intestines, urogenital tract, and respiratory system. The main functions of mucosal defense are maintaining commensal flora at bay, responding to, and protecting against the entry and colonization of pathogens, and limiting unwanted immune activation. In vitro models have played a major role in advancing our scientific understanding of mucosal defense because they provide a more accessible, simple, and low-cost alternative to animal models.

In recent years, in vitro 3D culture models that utilize host cells to create epithelial layers have gained traction because they closely resemble the host environment. It is beneficial in studying immune responses in delicate tissues, such as the lung, where human samples are rare. Host epithelial cell cultures can be employed to investigate the transepithelial recruitment of blood immune cells (e.g., neutrophils) and obtain tissue-specific immune cells. Furthermore, these models offer opportunities to enhance vaccine safety, drug testing, and clinical predictions prior to animal models or human clinical trials.

This Methods Collection presents a compilation of recent advances in vitro models available for studying immunological responses in mucosal tissues while also discussing current technological and methodological innovations in the field.