Studying compound mediated effects
on cultured primary endothelial and epithelial cells

The transepithelial electrical resistance TEER and the cell layer capacitance C_cl of the confluent cell layer of cultured primary endothelial cells were monitored with the cellZscope. The presence of serum or hydrocortisone can affect the strength of the barrier or the morphology of the cell layer.

Time-resolved monitoring of the transepithelial electrical resistance (TEER) of cultured primary endothelial cells derived from porcine brain microvessels, incubated in serum-free medium supplemented with hydrocortisone (orange curve) and without hydrocortisone (blue curve): the experimental data reveal that the TEER of the confluent cell layer increases with time in the presence of hydrocortisone. This effect is attributed to a pronounced barrier strengthening of the cerebral endothelial cells.

Time-resolved monitoring of the capacitance (C_cl) of cultured primary epithelial cells derived from porcine choroid plexus, incubated in serum-free medium (orange curve) and in serum-containing medium (blue curve): choroid plexus epithelial cells develop longer and more densely packed microvilli on their apical surface when incubated in a serum-free medium. This differentiation process leads to an increase of the capacitance of the confluent cell layer and can thus be followed noninvasively in situ.

_{Graphs adapted from Wegener et al., BioTechniques 37, 590 (2004).}