Effect of amniotic fluid and fetal bovine serum on the morphogenesis of mouse duodenal villi in organ culture.

When duodenal explants of 15-day mouse foetuses are cultured in Trowell T8 medium during 72 h, villi do not develop. If mouse amniotic fluid (25%) is added to the same medium, short villi appear after 12 h of culture and medium size villi are seen at 48 h. Bovine amniotic fluid and fetal bovine serum promote cell growth but morphogenesis of intestinal villi is far less stimulated.