title: 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 of 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 24 hr and uptake remains constant for at least an additional 48 hr. 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 72 hr. This preparation should be useful for short-term in vitro studies of keratinized, stratified, squamous epithelium free of appendages and for studies of the growth properties of esophageal mucosa under simulated pathologic conditions.
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001345:Autoradiography; D003470:Culture Media; D004947:Esophagus / Q000378:metabolism; D007633:Keratins; D008297:Male; D008722:Methods; D051379:Mice; D009092:Mucous Membrane / Q000378:metabolism; D009924:Organ Culture Techniques; D013936:Thymidine / Q000378:metabolism; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D003470:Culture Media; D007633:Keratins; D013936:Thymidine