Primary culture of human fallopian tube epithelial cells and co-culture of early mouse pre-embryos.
We have established a monolayer culture system for human fallopian tube epithelial cells. The cells were isolated from tubes using collagenase digestion, and were cultured in Ham's F-10 supplemented with 15% fetal calf serum. The epithelial cells derived from culture were characterized using immunocytochemical staining and electron microscopy. These cells were stained with antikeratin and anti-epithelial membrane antigen, but showed no staining after treatment with antivimentin. Electron microscopy showed many microvilli on the cell surface and tight junctions or desmosomes at areas of cell-cell contact. Cell proliferation was enhanced by epidermal growth factor, but not by fibroblast growth factor, insulin, transferrin, estradiol-17 beta, or progesterone. The 2-cell ICR mouse pre-embryos were co-cultured for 4 days with tubal epithelial cells (A) (n = 98), in cell-conditioned medium (B) (n = 83), or in medium alone (C) (n = 72). During the first 24 h in culture, for groups A and B, the rates of cleavage to the 4-cell stage were 90.9% and 81.9%, respectively. Cleavage rates in these two groups were significantly higher (P = 0.0012, P less than 0.00001) than in group C (56.9%). After 72 h in culture, the rates of development to the blastocyst stage were significantly higher for groups A and B compared to group C (89.6% and 73.5% vs. 54.5%, P less than 0.00001, P = 0.0002). These results suggest that factor(s) from tubal epithelial cells may facilitate the development of mouse pre-embryos throughout the pre-implantation stages.
Takeuchi
K
K
Jones Institute for Reproductive Medicine, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Eastern Virginia Medical School, Norfolk, Virginia 23507.
Nagata
Y
Y
Sandow
B A
BA
Hodgen
G D
GD
D000818:Animals; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D002970:Cleavage Stage, Ovum / Q000166:cytology*; D003594:Cytoplasmic Granules / Q000648:ultrastructure; D005314:Embryonic and Fetal Development; D004847:Epithelial Cells; D005187:Fallopian Tubes / Q000166:cytology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D051379:Mice / Q000196:embryology*; D008854:Microscopy, Electron; D009028:Morula / Q000166:cytology; D009924:Organ Culture Techniques