C57BL/6 Mouse Gingival Epithelial Cells

C57BL/6 Mouse Gingival Epithelial Cells (GECs) are primary cells that have been isolated from the gingival mucosa of C57BL/6 mice. C57BL/6 mice are a common inbred strain used in immunological and periodontal studies. The gingiva is composed of stratified epithelium which can be divided into the keratinized oral epithelium, the semi-permeable sulcular epithelium, and the non-keratinized junctional epithelium (JE). The JE forms a tight seal with the tooth surface and is responsible for regulating the entry of bacteria into the gingival crevice. GECs in vitro show a typical epithelial cobblestone morphology and express epithelial markers including cytokeratins and E-cadherin. They require specialized media with added growth factors to proliferate in vitro and maintain their physiological properties. In their physiological context, GECs serve as a barrier to oral pathogens and are involved in innate immune responses, such as the production of antimicrobial peptides (e.g. β-defensins) and the secretion of cytokines (e.g. IL-6, IL-8). Dysregulation of GECs is thought to contribute to the pathogenesis of periodontitis, with increased inflammatory signaling and tissue destruction observed.

GECs are commonly used in research to study periodontal disease, host-microbe interactions (e.g. in the context of Porphyromonas gingivalis infection), and screening of potential therapeutic agents. They are also used in tissue engineering approaches for gingival regeneration studies. Their genetic background (C57BL/6) allows for reproducibility between experiments and translational relevance for studying epithelial immunity and developing new treatments for periodontal diseases.