RETENTION OF FUNCTIONAL-CHARACTERISTICS BY BOVINE OVIDUCT AND UTERINEEPITHELIA IN-VITRO

The composition of fluids within the bovine oviduct and uterine lumen, important in fertilisation and early embryonic development, is ultima tely determined by the transport properties of the epithelial cells wh ich line the lumen. A preparation has therefore been devised to study the role of these cells in oviduct and uterine fluid formation. Pure p reparations of epithelial cells, as judged immunocytochemically, were isolated by enzyme digestion, and grown on collagen filters in primary culture. The cells re-establish intercellular junctions to form st co nfluent epithelial layer. Serial samples from the apical and basal med ia were analysed for K+, Na+, Ca2+, glucose and lactate. Bovine oviduc t epithelial cells maintained gradients of K+ and Ca2+ (apical > basal ) for up to 14 days after confluence, while bovine uterine epithelial cells maintained apical > basal gradients of K+. Both types of epithel ium exhibited a small transepithelial electrical potential difference and a higher uptake of glucose and production of lactate in the basal, as opposed to apical medium. There were no consistent differences in any of these parameters with the stage of the oestrous cycle at which the cells were removed. The data indicate that bovine oviduct and uter ine epithelia may be isolated and grown as polarised layers in primary culture. The preparations will now enable the mechanisms underlying t he secretion of ions and non-electrolytes to be determined. (C) 1997 E lsevier Science B.V.