BEAS-2B Cell Line human

BEAS-2B cells were derived from normal bronchial epithelium obtained from autopsy of non-cancerous individuals. Cells were infected with a replication-defective SV40/adenovirus 12 hybrid and cloned. Squamous differentiation can be observed in response to serum. This ability can be used for screening chemical and biological agents inducing or affecting differentiation and/or carcinogenesis. The cell line has been applied for studies of pneumococcal infection mechanisms. BEAS-2B was described to express keratins and SV40 T antigen. Subculturing the cells before confluency is necessary as confluent cultures rapidly undergo squamous terminal differentiation.