Human Nasal Epithelial Cells (HNECs)

Human nasal epithelial cells (HNECs) are primary epithelial cells lining the nasal cavity. They can be obtained via minimally invasive nasal brushing or biopsy, providing an ethically favorable and repeatable source of donor-specific airway epithelium. When expanded and cultured at the air-liquid interface (ALI), HNECs differentiate into a pseudostratified mucociliary epithelium comprising basal, ciliated, goblet, and secretory cells. This model recapitulates key features of the human airway barrier, including tight junctions, mucus production, coordinated ciliary beating, ion transport (e.g., CFTR/ENaC), and innate immune signaling. Functional readouts include transepithelial electrical resistance (TEER), ciliary beat frequency, mucus secretion, and cytokine release.

Compared with immortalized cell lines, HNECs retain donor genetic and epigenetic backgrounds, native receptor expression, and functional responses, making them highly translatable for disease modeling and drug discovery. They are widely used to study cystic fibrosis, primary ciliary dyskinesia, chronic rhinosinusitis, allergic rhinitis, asthma, and respiratory viral infections such as SARS-CoV-2, influenza, and RSV. Their accessibility also enables longitudinal sampling and personalized medicine approaches, while donor diversity supports population-relevant pharmacology and toxicity testing.

HNECs offer several practical advantages: non-invasive collection, expandability, cryopreservation, and compatibility with ALI, microphysiological systems, and high-content imaging. They serve as a physiologically relevant surrogate for upper airway biology and, in many contexts, a useful proxy for lower airway epithelial function, though tissue-specific differences should be considered.