POLARIZED EPITHELIAL-CELLS OF THE HAMSTER SEMINAL-VESICLE IN A SERUM-FREE BICAMERAL CULTURE SYSTEM - EVIDENCE OF SECRETORY AND ENDOCYTIC ACTIVITIES

Primary cultures of epithelial cells from the hamster seminal vesicle were established in a chemically defined medium supplemented with horm ones and growth factors. Epithelial cell clusters were prepared combin ing enzymatic dissociation and mechanical disaggregation and then seed ed in bicameral systems equipped with collagen-membrane inserts. A gro wth curve was generated and the cells were characterized morphological ly and morphometrically by light and electron microscopy. The immunocy tochemical detection of cytokeratins and the measurement of transepith elial electrical resistance were also performed. The secretory activit y was studied by fluorography using L-[S-35]methionine as a precursor, and endocytosis was approached using horseradish peroxidase as a trac er. Our results show that epithelial cells of the seminal vesicle can be grown as a monolayer of morphological and functionally polarized ce lls which retain secretory and endocytic activities. These cell cultur es might therefore prove useful to investigate further the regulation of secretion and endocytosis in the seminal vesicle and are a promisin g model to approach, in a broader scope, cell polarity and protein sor ting and targeting.