Cell Representative Species Advantages Limitations Pathogenic Mechanisms
Alveolar Epithelial Cell Primary Alveolar Epithelial Cells (Human/Mouse) Resemble cells’ characteristics and physiological state; preserve functionality and cell differentiation status. Unreliable supply sources; difficult to isolate and cultivate (cannot be continuously passaged, etc.); may lose original phenotype with increasing culture time. Cell senescence, cell death, endoplasmic reticulum stress, etc.
Human Lung Cancer Alveolar Epithelial Cell Line (A549 Cell Line) Easy to cultivate; exhibits characteristics of cancer cells, such as rapid cell proliferation and immortalization; maintains its original phenotype in culture. Alternative cell lines exhibit some characteristics of AT2 cells, but their structure, barrier properties, and cell phenotype are markedly different. EMT,cell senescence, cell-cell communication, post-translational modifications of proteins, etc.
Mouse Alveolar Epithelial Cell Line (MLE-12 Cell Line) Retains many characteristics of alveolar type II epithelial cells; expresses surfactant proteins B and C (SP-B, SP-C); exhibits characteristics of cancer cells, such as high proliferation rate and extended lifespan.
Rat Alveolar Epithelial Cell Line (RLE-6TN Cell Line) Exhibits characteristics of alveolar type II cells; expresses chemotactic cytokines similar to primary cultures of alveolar type II cells; does not cause tumors in nude mice.