New methodological approach to induce a differentiation phenotype in Caco-2 cells prior to post-confluence stage.
BACKGROUND
Various differentiation-inducing agents or harvesting of spontaneously late post-confluence cultures have been used to differentiate the human colon carcinoma Caco-2 cell line. We report a new procedure to generate pre-confluent subcultures of Caco-2 population at various stages of differentiation without altering culture conditions.


METHODS
Ultrastructural analysis, cell proliferation activity and biochemical markers of differentiation were evaluated at different passages.


RESULTS
Subcultures of Caco-2 cells at pre-confluence, exhibiting progressive acquisition of a more benign differentiation phenotype, were generated. Early passages of Caco-2 cells showed a well-developed brush border and incomplete junctional apparatus; subsequent subcultures yielded cell populations with well-developed junctions similar to those of small intestinal cells.


CONCLUSIONS
These culture conditions represent a new versatile model not only to progressively induce the differentiation program in Caco-2 cells at pre-confluence without changes of culture media, but also to explore mechanistic modes of drug transport and tumor development.
Ferraretto
Anita
A
Department of Medical Chemistry, Biochemistry and Biotechnology, L.I.TA., Segrate (MI), Italy.
Gravaghi
Claudia
C
Donetti
Elena
E
Cosentino
Stefania
S
Donida
Bianca M
BM
Bedoni
Marzia
M
Lombardi
Giovanni
G
Fiorilli
Amelia
A
Tettamanti
Guido
G
D018938:Caco-2 Cells / Q000201:enzymology / Q000473:pathology* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D002452:Cell Count; D018929:Cell Culture Techniques / Q000379:methods; D002454:Cell Differentiation / Q000502:physiology*; D048708:Cell Growth Processes / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D010641:Phenotype