@article{MAKHILLJAVA201312114138,
    title = {Immortalization of Swine Tracheal Epithelial Cells with Human Telomerase Reverse Transcriptase},
    journal = {Journal of Animal and Veterinary Advances},
    volume = {12},
    number = {11},
    pages = {1032-1037},
    year = {2013},
    issn = {1680-5593},
    doi = {javaa.2013.1032.1037},
    url = {https://makhillpublications.co/view-article.php?issn=1680-5593&doi=javaa.2013.1032.1037},
    author = {Yan-Ming,Bao-Yu,Kang-Kang,Jin-Jin and},
    keywords = {hTERT,immortalization,lipofectamine,STECs,transfection},
    abstract = {The tracheal epithelium is an important barrier that protects 
  against harmful inhaled substances. To facilitate understanding of the mechanisms 
  underlying respiratory diseases including tracheal cancer and tracheitis, researchers 
  established an immortalized tracheal epithelial cell line. Primary cultures 
  of Swine Tracheal Epithelial Cells (STECs) were immortalized by transfection 
  of human Telomerase Reverse Transcriptase (hTERT; pCI-neo-hTERT) using lipofection. 
  Positive cells were selected with G418 and expanded for continuous culture for 
  up to 60 passages. The expression of hTERT mRNA in transfected cells was detected 
  by RT-PCR. Transfected cells were assessed for morphology, karyotype, growth 
  in soft agar and tumorigenicity in nude mice. Immortalized cells showed similar 
  properties to those of normal cells such as contact inhibition, serum requirement 
  and anchorage dependence. A soft agar assay and karyotype analysis showed no 
  neoplastic transformation. These results suggest that immortalized STECs induced 
  by the <I>hTERT</I> gene retain their original characteristics. The immortal 
  STEC line may be useful as an <I>in vitro</I> model of tracheal epithelium for 
  physiological, pathological and pharmacological investigations.}
    }