Precision cut lung slices as an efficient tool for in vitro lung physio-pharmacotoxicology studies

1. We review the specific approaches for lung tissue slices preparation and incubation systems and the research application fields in which lung slices proved to be a very efficient alternative to animal experimentation for biomechanical, physiological, pharmacological and toxicological approaches. 2. Focus is made on air-liquid interface dynamic organ culture systems that allow direct tissue exposure to complex aerosol and that best mimic in vivo lung tissue physiology. 3. A compilation of research applications in the fields of vascular and airway reactivity, mucociliary transport, polyamine transport, xenobiotic biotransformation, chemicals toxicology and complex aerosols supports the concept that precision cut lung slices are a very efficient tool maintaining highly differentiated functions similar to in vivo lung organ when kept under dynamic organ culture. They also have been successfully used for lung gene transfer efficiency assessment, for lung viral infection efficiency assessment, for studies of tissue preservation media and tissue post-conditioning to optimize lung tissue viability before grafting. 4. Taken all together, the reviewed studies point to a great interest for precision cut lung slices as an efficient and valuable alternative to in vivo lung organ experimentation.