Organ culture of the chicken colon: morphological observations after 24 and 48 hours of culture.

Colons from chickens, four weeks old, can best be maintained for 48 hours in a serum-free organ culture system using Trowell T8 medium-agar sheet at 25 degrees C. As determined by light microscopy as well as scanning and transmission electron microscopies, mucosal architecture involving classical ultrastructure of chicken colonic mucosa was preserved. Based on the morphological findings, it became evident that this organ culture system using Trowell T8 medium at 25 degrees C can be successfully used as an in vitro experimental model for as long as 48 hours. The organ culture system could be a useful tool in investigating mucosal function and mucosal response to pathogens.