title: Characterisation of long term cat placental explant cultures: uptake of taurine by system beta.
abstract: Dietary taurine is essential for cats and deficiency during pregnancy may lead to abortion, growth restriction or impaired neurological function of kittens. We previously described Na(+)- and Cl(-)-dependent taurine transport by system beta in fragments of freshly isolated cat placenta [Champion EE, Bailey SJ, Glazier JD, Jones CJP, Mann SJ, Rawlings JM, et al. Taurine uptake into cat placental tissue fragments. Placenta 2001;22:A.42]. Here we evaluate long term culture of cat placental explants as a model for the future study of chronic nutrient regulation of amino acid transport in this species. The cat placental explants displayed (i) Na(+)-dependent [(3)H]taurine uptake and (ii) taurine transporter protein on day 7 of culture, as observed in fresh cat placental fragments. The explants had preserved the ability to secrete PGF(2alpha) hormone until day 11 of culture and remained morphologically largely intact until day 7 of culture. This model of placental explant culture will provide an important in vitro method for the study of chronic regulation of amino acid transport in the cat.
authors.affiliation: Academic Unit of Child Health, University of Manchester, St. Mary's Hospital, Manchester, UK.
authors.forename: E E
authors.initials: EE
authors.lastname: Champion
authors.forename: S J
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Mann
authors.forename: J D
authors.initials: JD
authors.lastname: Glazier
authors.forename: C J P
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: Jones
authors.forename: J M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Rawlings
authors.forename: C P
authors.initials: CP
authors.lastname: Sibley
authors.forename: S L
authors.initials: SL
authors.lastname: Greenwood
mesh_terms: D026905:Amino Acid Transport Systems / Q000378:metabolism*; D000818:Animals; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000378:metabolism; D002415:Cats; D015237:Dinoprost / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D023421:Models, Animal; D009924:Organ Culture Techniques; D010920:Placenta / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000378:metabolism*; D013654:Taurine / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D026905:Amino Acid Transport Systems; D015415:Biomarkers; D013654:Taurine; D015237:Dinoprost