Background: The small number of epithelial cells that can be isolated from mouse respiratory tract has limited its application to study of the airway. Our purpose in this work was to compare the potential of mouse nasal septal and turbinal epithelium for serving as a cell source for in vitro cell cultures. Methods: The distribution of ciliated epithelial cells in the mouse nasal cavity, and the surface area of the respiratory epithelium in the mouse nasal septum and turbinate were determined by beta-tubulin IV immunohistochemistry. Ciliated epithelial cell density of native mouse nasal septum and turbinate, and the morphology of cultured mouse nasal septal and turbinal epithelial cells were examined by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and beta-tubulin IV and zona occludens (ZO)-1 dual-label fluorescent cytochemistry, respectively. Cilia reactivity to exogenous stimuli (adenosine triphosphate or benzalkonium chloride) in cultured nasal septal and turbinal epithelial cells was studied using highspeed digital microscopy. Results: The ciliated epithelial cell density of native nasal epithelium, the morphology and cell yield of in vitro cultured epithelial cells, and cilia reactivity to exogenous stimuli of mouse turbinate are comparable to that of the nasal septum. However, the respiratory epithelium surface area of mouse turbinate is significantly larger than that of the nasal septum. Conclusion: Mouse turbinate may also serve as an ideal source of in vitro epithelial cell cultures. Both nasal septum and turbinate should be harvested to optimize animal use in the establishment of primary murine respiratory epithelial cultures. (C) 2012 ARS-AAOA, LLC.