Ductal epithelial cells cultured from human foetal epididymis and vas deferens: relevance to sterility in cystic fibrosis.

A tissue culture system for epithelial cells derived from male human foetal genital ducts has been established. The cells show morphological and biochemical characteristics of ductal epithelial cells, and can be passaged and maintained in culture for considerable periods of time. These cells will provide a suitable system for investigating, by electrophysiological, biochemical and molecular biological methods, the cause of sterility in cystic fibrosis.