ACE2 Expression in Organotypic Human Airway Epithelial Cultures and Airway Biopsies

Abstract

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by infection with the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is an acute respiratory disease with systemic complications. Therapeutic strategies for COVID-19, including repurposing (partially) developed drugs are urgently needed, regardless of the increasingly successful vaccination outcomes. We characterized two-dimensional (2D) and three-dimensional models (3D) to establish a physiologically relevant airway epithelial model with potential for investigating SARS-CoV-2 therapeutics. Human airway basal epithelial cells maintained in submerged 2D culture were used at low passage to retain the capacity to differentiate into ciliat..