New research from the University of Bern has opened up a unique direction for the field of lip biology: immortalizing lip cells taken from patients to create 3D models, allowing for the study of lip pathologies without the need for animal experiments. The move is hailed as opening up the possibility of comprehensive approaches to lip pathologies, from wounds to congenital malformations such as cleft lip, without damaging the original cell sample.
Why is immortalization of lip cells important?
The lip tissue is a complex structure with many essential roles, including communication, facial expression, and sensation. However, animal experiments to study lip pathologies are often not a priority for ethical reasons. At the same time, lip cells obtained from humans are limited in number and have a short lifespan, making comprehensive studies difficult. The immortalized lip cells created in this study could address this issue, providing a long-term, stable source of cells for testing potential treatments.
Methods and what has been achieved
To achieve immortalized cells, the team used a complex engineering process. They removed the p16INK4A gene, a factor that limits the cell’s lifespan, and activated telomerase to prevent the loss of telomeres, the protective regions at the ends of chromosomes. As a result, they created immortalized keratinocyte (skin) cell lines from both healthy lip cells and cleft lip cells. Testing showed that these cells retained key biological properties of the original lip cells, including cell morphology and differentiation ability.
In particular, by using these immortal cells to create a 3D model of the lip, the team was able to simulate wounding and infection – two common conditions in lip pathology research. This 3D model promises to be a solid platform for testing a variety of treatments, from wound healing to antibacterials.
Comparison: Immortalized cells vs. primary cells
Primary cells (i.e., early stem cells) are still considered the “gold standard” because they retain their original characteristics from human lip tissue. However, because primary cells have a short lifespan and are difficult to culture, they are not ideal for long-term studies or in-depth analysis. Instead, immortalized cells offer promise as an alternative because of their longevity and ease of culture.
However, a potential problem is whether immortalized cells can truly replace primary cells completely. Despite their many advantages, immortalized cells still cannot fully reproduce the complex biological reactions of stem cells, especially in the real environment of lip tissue. Some experts believe that although immortalized cells can partially meet research requirements, they will not be able to achieve the high level of simulation accuracy of stem cells.
Feasibility: Can immortalized lip cells replace animal testing?
Another big advantage of immortalized lip cells is the potential to reduce reliance on animals in lip research. Researchers hope that 3D lip models made from immortalized cells will allow them to study infections and wounds without having to experiment on animals. However, some critics say this is still idealistic. In medical research, animal experiments remain an important foundation because 3D cell models are difficult to fully simulate the responses of complex living organisms.
Future Directions and Doubts
Despite these initial successes, the practical applications of these immortalized cells are still in the experimental stage. Future studies may require further testing of the cells’ ability to respond to various pathogens as well as their ability to heal wounds over the long term.
One question is whether these cells could be used to develop therapies to heal lip wounds in patients with cleft lip. Currently, the main treatment for cleft lip is surgery, and regenerative methods using immortalized cells are still just ideas. Furthermore, whether these cells are capable of conducting extensive research on lip cancer is also an open question.
Practical applications of immortalized cells in the treatment of environmental diseases
However, there is no denying that immortalized cells have great potential in the field of personalized medicine. Scientists can tailor these 3D models to study individual patients, optimizing treatments based on their individual responses. This is especially valuable in treating lip conditions, where aesthetic factors play as important a role as functional ones.
In addition, immortalized cells could become a powerful tool for examining the effects of bacteria and environmental factors on lip tissue. This could provide important insights into research against common lip infections such as Candida – a common cause of oral infections.
Conclude
The University of Bern study of immortalized lip cells sheds light on the field of personalized medicine and pharmaceutical research, especially in the field of lip pathology. However, it is not a perfect solution and many additional steps are needed to ensure the effectiveness and practicality of the technique. As with any groundbreaking technology, skepticism and objective evaluation are needed to ensure that we do not get too excited about the potential of unproven treatments.
Original research paper
Front. Cell Dev. Biol., November 4, 2024
Sec. Cell Growth and Division
Volume 12 – 2024 | https://doi.org/10.3389/fcell.2024.1449224