TISSUE-CULTURE OF BOVINE SUBCOMMISSURAL ORGAN

Tissue of the secretory, glial subcommissural organ (SCO) of adult, ma le cattle was cultured in serum-free medium for 70 days in vitro. Only minor alterations in the histoarchitecture and the cytology of the ex planted SCOs could be observed by light and electron microscopy. Light - and electron-microscopic immunocytochemical investigations with an a ntiserum raised against bovine SCO secretory proteins revealed intra- and extracellularly localized immunoreactive material in tissue sectio ns of SCO explants cultured up to 69 days in vitro. An indirect compet ition enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was developed to detec t minor quantities of SCO secretory products. By means of this assay, approximately 35 ng RF protein per ml was detected in culture medium s upernatants conditioned for 3 days in SCO tissue cultures at 3, 38, an d 69 days in vitro. These studies demonstrate that the bovine SCO can maintain its secretory activity throughout long periods in vitro.