PRIMARY C ULTURE OF RAM E PIDIDYMAL E PITHELIAL C ELLS

SUMMARY: A procedure for the primary culture of epithelial cells harvested from the epididymides of young virgin ram lambs is described. A confluent monolayer of epithelial cells can be produced from cell aggregates isolated from the caput and cauda segments of ram lamb epididymides after trypsin and collagenase digestions. A culture of enriched epididymal epithelial cells is obtained using a selective attachment procedure. Characteristic epithelial cell morphology can be confirmed by phase contrast and indirect immunofluoreseent microscopies. Cultured epithelial cells can be passed 4 times and maintained for 1 me.