title: A novel 2-step culture model for long-term in vitro maintenance of human pancreatic acinar cells.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Because of rapid loss of functional differentiation that regularly occurs in vitro, culture systems permitting long-term studies on pancreatic acinar cells pose a major technical challenge. We recently described a method for long-term cultivation of mouse acinar cells. Here, we introduce a novel 2-step culture system for human pancreatic acinar cells.
  
  
  METHODS
  The system involves 2 successive culture phases, which are as follows: primary organotypic culture of isolated acinar clusters under soft Matrigel (BD Biosciences, Bedford, Mass; range, 2-3 days) followed by dissociation and secondary monolayer culture of acinar cells (4 days). Basal and agonist-induced amylase secretion was used to assess the secretory capability.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Acinar clusters showed excellent morphology and stable basal amylase secretion throughout primary culture. Carbachol (0.1 mM/L) increased amylase secretion 1.4-fold (P = 0.021) versus basal in 3 independent 4-day secondary cultures. Despite the controversy about the presence and roles of cholecystokinin receptors in human acinar cells, one of them also responded to 0.1 and 10 nM/L concentrations of caerulein with 1.9- and 1.4-fold increases in the rate of amylase secretion, respectively.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our technique allows cultured human acinar cells to maintain secretory differentiation for a minimum of 7 days. The technique provides novel prospects for in vitro modeling of the human exocrine pancreas.
authors.affiliation: From the Department of Gastroenterology and Alimentary Tract Surgery and Tampere Pancreas Laboratory, Tampere University Hospital, Tampere, Finland.
authors.forename: Merja
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bläuer
authors.forename: Juhani
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Sand
authors.forename: Isto
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Nordback
authors.forename: Johanna
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Laukkarinen
mesh_terms: D061354:Acinar Cells / Q000166:cytology* / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D000328:Adult; D000681:Amylases / Q000378:metabolism; D002217:Carbachol / Q000494:pharmacology; D018929:Cell Culture Techniques / Q000379:methods*; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D002108:Ceruletide / Q000494:pharmacology; D003094:Collagen; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004338:Drug Combinations; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D007797:Laminin; D008875:Middle Aged; D008954:Models, Biological; D010179:Pancreas / Q000166:cytology*; D046790:Pancreas, Exocrine / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism; D011509:Proteoglycans; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D004338:Drug Combinations; D007797:Laminin; D011509:Proteoglycans; C059485:matrigel; D002108:Ceruletide; D002217:Carbachol; D003094:Collagen; D000681:Amylases