Organ culture of human aorta: prolonged survival with support of viral replication.

Organ cultures were established with use of human fetal aorta obtained after death; cellular elements were preserved in the cultures for periods of up to eight weeks, with maintenance of their in vivo tissue relationships. Histologically, these cultures preserve the three coats of the aorta, including an intact endothelial layer cells. The aorta organ cultures supported the replication of echovirus 11, herpes simplex virus type 1, adenovirus 2, and coxsackievirus B5 without the production of detectable gross cytoarchitectural degenerative changes. Coxsackievirus B5 and adenovirus 2 were excreted by infected cultures for prolonged periods of up to 12 weeks. This human fetal aorta organ culture system, with its long-term viability and capacity to support viral replication, provides a useful model for in vitro study of virus-aortic vessel interactions.