A SIMPLE TECHNIQUE FOR THE LONG-TERM NON-POLARIZED AND POLARIZED CULTURE OF HUMAN FALLOPIAN-TUBE EPITHELIAL-CELLS

Fallopian tubes were obtained from 25 women undergoing abdominal hyste rectomy. Pieces of fallopian tube mucosa were placed in culture flasks containing minimum essential medium in Earle's salts supplemented wit h fetal bovine serum. First passage was carried out after 7-10 days an d subcultures in 4-5 days. For polarised cell culture, epithelial cell s were seeded onto an extracellular matrix system. New epithelial cell s were seen on day 2-3 of the primary culture and epithelial patches o n day 7-10. Cells reached confluence in 4-5 days in subcultures. The c ells could be subcultured for 7-11 passages with a life span of 42-60 days. Epithelial origins of the cells were confirmed by immunofluoresc ence staining with anti-cytokeratin antibody. Polarised cells showed a columnar pattern, microvilli on their apical surface and basally loca ted nucleus whereas non-polarised cells were flat. It was concluded th at the human fallopian tube epithelial cells can be cultured in vibro to create non-polarised and polarised cell layers by using a simple an d reproducible technique and this system can be a potential model to s tudy function of the fallopian tube.