A technique for the in vitro culture of human parathyroid gland tissue.

A technique for prolonged in vitro culture of human parathyroid tissue is described. Cells could be maintained in this monolayer system and were shown to continue releasing high levels of parathyroid hormone into their culture medium even after 140 days in culture. Furthermore, growth of fibroblasts, persistence of epithelial cells and parathyroid hormone release was demonstrated in cells derived from parathyroid tissue that had been cryopreserved for 2 years. The availability of viable and functioning human parathyroid tissue produced in this culture system may be of value in both auto- and allo-transplantation in patients with permanent hypoparathyroidism.