Culture of human gastrointestinal epithelial cells.

Human gastrointestinal (GI) epithelial cells and tissues have been propagated in vitro for several months. Viability of typical epithelial cells with minimal contamination by fibroblasts was best achieved by mechanical harvesting instead of using enzymes for dissociation or subculture. Individual cells generally adhered poorly to glass and plastic although they did attach to some coated substrates. Although standard formulations of culture base media were suitable, there was a continuous requirement for conditioned medium and cultures were readily propagated in suspension. Cultures had a propensity to grow as "islands" of epithelial cells consisting of central dividing regions and external "differentiated" regions. As yet undefined factors from yeast and brain (or pituitary) extracts were required for optimal growth.