A Comparative Study of the Turnover of Multiciliated Cells in the Mouse Trachea, Oviduct and Brain

Abstract

In mammals, multiciliated cells (MCCs) line the lumen of the trachea, oviduct, and brain ventricles, where they drive fluid flow across the epithelium. Each MCC population experiences vastly different local environments that may dictate differences in their lifetime and turnover rates. However, with the exception of MCCs in the trachea, the turnover rates of these multiciliated epithelial populations at extended time scales are not well described.Here, using genetic lineage-labeling techniques we provide a direct comparison of turnover rates of MCCs in these three different tissues. We find that oviduct turnover is similar to that in the airway (~6 months), while multiciliated ependymal cells turnover more slowly.

Prom1 expression does not mark a stem/progenitor population in the mouse oviduct epithelium

“…Using lineage tracing we showed that the Prom1 expressing population did not expand over time and in the case of the isthmus decreased over the course of the experiment. Taken together our results show that Prom1 does not label a stem or progenitor population in the mouse oviduct.6Multiciliated cell turnover rate in the distal mouse oviduct has been estimated to be around 6 months(25). As we see a near exclusive labeling of multiciliated cells one month after tamoxifen injections we would have expected to see a steady drop in the number of labeled cells over time.…”