Appearance and endocytic activity of epithelial cells from human efferent ducts in primary monolayer culture.

The culture of epithelial cells lining human efferent ducts, obtained from prostatic carcinoma patients, is described. Ciliated cells were observed to beat for at least one month on plastic. On previous filters low cuboidal cells characterized the monolayers. Cells comprising monolayers over the filter were 5 to 9 microns in height whereas taller cells were found over the original fragments (14 microns). Some non-ciliated cells contained dark and light vacuoles, others were found to lack them. Both non-ciliated and ciliated cells maintained tight junctional complexes restricting the paracellular movement of horseradish peroxidase. Both types of cultured cells exhibited fluid-phase and adsorptive endocytosis from both apical and basal surfaces. It is reported for the first time that the monolayers form high resistance barriers (150 omega.cm2) that prevent the apical medium from draining to the basal compartment over 24 h.