We use our lips to talk, eat, drink, and breathe; they signal our emotions, health, and aesthetic beauty. It takes a complex structure to perform so many roles, so lip problems can be hard to repair effectively. Basic research is essential to improving these treatments, but until now, models using lip cells—which perform differently to other skin cells—have not been available.
In a study published in Frontiers in Cell and Developmental Biology , scientists report the successful immortalization of donated lip cells, allowing for the development of clinically relevant lip models in the lab. This proof-of-concept, once expanded, could benefit thousands of patients. "The lip is a very prominent feature of our face," said Dr.
Martin Degen of the University of Bern. "Any defects in this tissue can be highly disfiguring. But until now, human lip cell models for developing treatments were lacking.
With our strong collaboration with the University Clinic for Pediatric Surgery, Bern University Hospital, we were able to change that, using lip tissue that would have been discarded otherwise." Primary cells donated directly from an individual are ideal for this kind of research, because they're believed to retain similar characteristics to the original tissue. However, these cells can't be reproduced indefinitely, and are often difficult and expensive to acquire.
"Human lip tissue is not regularly obtainable," explained Degen. "Without these cells, it is impossible to mimic the charac.
