Maintenance of human epididymal epithelial cell function in monolayer culture.

Cells liberated by enzyme treatment of tubules dissected out of human epididymides obtained at castration for prostatic carcinoma were cultured for up to 42 days on permeable supports. Outgrowth and monolayer formation was unrelated to the age of the patient or his treatment with anti-androgens. The cells comprising the monolayer were cuboidal and shorter than those in situ but their ultrastructure was characteristic of epithelial cells. There was no evidence of smooth muscle cells or fibroblast overgrowth. The cells manifested fluid-phase and adsorptive endocytosis from both apical and baso-lateral aspects and released into the medium alkaline and acid phosphatases and N-acetylglucosaminidase.