EPITHELIAL MONOLAYERS FROM HUMAN EPIDIDYMAL AND EFFERENT DUCT TUBULES- TESTOSTERONE-METABOLISM AND EFFECTS OF CULTURE CONDITIONS ON CELL HEIGHT AND CONFLUENCE

Corpus epididymal and efferent duct epithelial cells on permeable supp orts formed confluent monolayers that resisted hydrodynamic equilibriu m and created electrical resistance. Monolayers were formed sooner and were of better quality when fetal bovine serum (FBS), rather than bov ine serum albumin (BSA), was present in glucose-free, rather than gluc ose-containing, media. Testosterone was converted to androstenedione b y both cell types and conversion of both steroids to 5 alpha-reduced m etabolites was higher in cells from the corpus epididymidis than from efferent ducts. Addition of heat-treated human spermatocoele fluid (si milar to rete testis fluid) to the apical aspects of the cells increas ed cell heights when they were initially low, but some cytoplasmic dam age was observed. New serum-free media (especially those designed for keratinocytes and mammary epithelial cells) could maintain cultured ce lls at heights found in situ.