Organ Culture Of Adult Mouse Esophageal Mucosa In A Defined Medium

Abstract

A method is described for culturing adult mouse esophageal mucosa in a chemically defined medium. The preparation consists a mucosa and superficial submucosa. By light microscopy, autoradiography, and tritiated-thymidine ([3H]TdR) uptake the tissue appears viable for at least 3 days. Although a drop in the rate of [3H]TdR uptake is observed in the initial hours of culture, recovery occurs by 24hr and uptake remains constant for at least an additional 48hr. Twenty-four-hour exposure to [3H]TdR and autoradiography reveals that 93 ± 3% of the basal cells take up label; appreciable labeling is not found in other cells of the preparation. Pulse labeling indicated a transit time from basal layer to keratin layer of about 72hr. This preparation should be useful for short-term in vitro studies of a keratinized, stratified, squamous epithelium free of appendages and for studies of the growth properties of esophageal mucosa under simulated pathologic conditions