INDUCTION OF A DIFFERENTIATED CILIATED CELL PHENOTYPE IN PRIMARY CULTURES OF FALLOPIAN-TUBE EPITHELIUM

Human Fallopian tubal epithelial cells in culture lose morphological f eatures associated with the epithelium in situ and the extent to which they retain their in-vivo phenotype or function is unknown. In order to address this question, immunocytochemical markers were identified w hich distinguish secretory (HMFG(2)(+), LhS28(-)) from ciliated (HMFG2 (-), LhS28(+)) epithelial cells in tissue sections of Fallopian tube, These markers were used to analyse the phenotype of tubal cells in vit ro. Primary cultures of human tubal epithelial cells were seeded onto glass and grown to confluence before addition of oestradiol-17 beta. I n the absence of hormone, tubal epithelial cells expressed cytokeratin s and nuclear receptors for oestrogen and progesterone and adopted a h omogeneous (HMFG2(+), LhS28-) secretory cell phenotype, Following the addition of oestradiol-17 beta, a proportion of cells became positive for LhS28. The induction of a ciliated epithelial cell phenotype was c onfirmed by scanning electron microscopy, where on permeable collagen membranes, approximately one-third of tubal epithelial cells became ci liated in the presence of oestradiol-17 beta, We suggest that in vitro , tubal epithelial cells adopt an immature secretory-like phenotype an d that oestrogen can induce differentiation to a ciliated epithelial c ell phenotype.