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. 1983 Nov;53:155–161. doi: 10.1289/ehp.8353155

In vitro approaches for determining mechanisms of toxicity and carcinogenicity by asbestos in the gastrointestinal and respiratory tracts.

B T Mossman
PMCID: PMC1569089  PMID: 6363051

Abstract

Organ and cell cultures of gastrointestinal and tracheobronchial epithelium have been used to document both the interaction of asbestos with mucosal cells and the sequence of cellular events occurring after exposure of cells to fibers. The biological activity of various types of asbestos in vitro is related to surface charge, crystallization, and dimensional characteristics. These factors also influence adsorption of natural secretions and serum components to fibers, a process that ameliorates cytotoxicity. Although mechanistic studies at the cellular level are lacking using epithelial cells of the digestive tract, asbestos appears to elicit a constellation of morphologic and biochemical changes in tracheal epithelium that resemble effects of classical tumor promoters on target cells.

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Selected References

These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.

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