In vitro culture of rabbit esophageal epithelial cells.

An in vitro model using esophageal epithelial explant cultures has been developed. Esophageal mucosa from New Zealand white rabbits was cut into 1.5-mm2 sections and fixed to a plastic petri dish using chick plasma. Appropriate outgrowth medium was added, and the explants were incubated in a humidified CO2 incubator at 37 degrees C. Cell outgrowth was measured directly, and lipid content was determined qualitatively. Esophageal epithelial cells grow as confluent sheets of multilayered cuboidal cells. Three growth phases were identified. Increased oxygen tensions inhibited growth. Optimum growth occurred at pH 7.4. Growth was significantly inhibited at pH 6.4, and no growth occurred at pH 5.8. Cells may be released by trypsin and five subcultures obtained. These results demonstrate that monolayer cultures of normal esophageal epithelium may be routinely established and maintained in cell culture for extended periods from small samples of tissue and that factors affecting growth may be quantitatively determined.