RAT PROSTATE EXPLANTS IN SERUM-FREE ORGAN-CULTURE - A COMPARISON OF 2MEDIA AND GAS-MIXTURES

BACKGROUND. Urologists are looking for a way to easily discriminate be tween aggressive and very slow-growing prostate tumors. A sound way to appreciate such developing activities would be to identify an appropr iate cell marker in prostate explants maintained in a defined culture system. METHODS. Different biological parameters were compared in rat prostate explants cultured for 5 days in rich CMRL or basic Leibovitz' s L-15 medium, unsupplemented with serum, under a mixture of either 95 % air/5% CO2 or 50% N-2/45% O-2/5% CO2. RESULTS. DNA synthesis was som ewhat similar with the two-gas combination, but was higher in explants maintained in L-15 medium than in CMRL. Hence, L-15 medium and the 95 % air/5% CO2 mixture were selected. Under these defined conditions for 5 days, cells were still able to synthesize DNA and proteins while pr eserving their morphological integrity and maintaining alkaline and ac id phosphatase activities. CONCLUSIONS. Since the present culture syst em works well in a controlled environment and under such minimal condi tions, it appears to be a reliable and promising model that will provi de basic data and allow the study of hormones and growth factors invol ved in prostatic tissue growth. It might eventually permit the identif ication of a cell marker. (C) 1997 Wiley-Liss, Inc.