Effect of media and growth promoters on in vitro cultivation of normal murine urinary bladder epithelium.

Growth potential of normal murine epithelium was investigated by means of 3 culture media: RPMI 1640 with fetal calf serum, Dulbecco's with fetal calf serum and McCoy's with horse serum. The effect of 3 growth promoters was tested separately with each of the 3 media. A total of 886 explants were cultured from 29 murine bladders and epithelial outgrowth was obtained in 35.2 per cent. The growth medium 1640 with 20 per cent fetal calf serum and epithelial growth factor produced the most abundant outgrowth of explants. McCoy's medium containing 15 per cent horse serum produced significantly lower outgrowth compared to the medium containing fetal calf serum (p less than 0.001). Epidermal growth factor has a stimulating effect and horse serum has an inhibitory effect on growth of normal murine epithelial cells.