Use of primary cultures of rabbit oviduct epithelial cells to study the ionic basis of tubal fluid formation.

A pure population of rabbit oviduct epithelial cells was isolated and grown as a polarized monolayer on collagen-impregnated filters in primary culture. The cells were shown to be epithelial by immunocytochemical staining. The cells were mounted in a modified Ussing chamber which enabled ion transport across the cells to be studied. There was a net flux of Cl- in a basal to apical direction which was reversed by 1 mmol dibutyryl cyclic AMP l-1 (cAMP). A small but consistent transepithelial electrical potential difference (p.d.) of 0.86 mV was recorded with the apical side of the cells negative with respect to the basal. Adrenaline added to the basal side of the cells induced large transient increases in p.d. across the monolayer, involving both alpha and beta receptors. Adrenaline also induced a small increase in basal to apical Cl- transport across the cells. It is proposed that adrenergic agonists and cAMP modulate rabbit oviduct fluid formation in part via an effect on transepithelial chloride transport.