The human esophagus is lined by a non-keratinizing, moist stratified squamous epithelium whose apical cell membranes and intercellular junctional complexes combine to produce an effective permeability barrier against the influx of luminal content. In particular, the barrier created by these structures limits exposure of the surface cells' basolateral cell membranes and entire membrane of cells of the deeper layers to the wide swings in osmolality occurring regularly within the esophageal lumen. Histologically, the esophageal epithelium consists of two zones, the basal and differentiated zones. Cellular proliferation is limited to the basal zone, and cells are thought to migrate from this area towards the esophageal lumen. Migration is associated with the initiation of differentiation and the sequential expression of differentiation markers. The availability of human esophageal epithelial cell culture provides an excellent in vitro model in the study of the physiology of esophageal epithelium and the mechanisms of the esophageal carcinogenesis.HEEC from AcceGen Research Laboratories are isolated from the human esophagus. HEEC are cryopreserved on passage one culture and delivered frozen. Each vial contains ＆gt;5×10^5 cells in 1 ml volume. HEEC are characterized by immunofluorescent method with antibodies to cytokeratine-8, -18 and -19. HEEC are negative for HIV-1, HBV, HCV, mycoplasma, bacteria, yeast and fungi. HEEC are guaranteed to further expand for 15 population doublings in the condition provided by AcceGen Research Laboratories.
