Xudong Zhao, Jun Han, Chengwei Tang
Objective To develop a method for the primary culture of porcine pancreatic acinar cells.
Interventions Dispersed pancreatic acinar cells available utilizing RPMI-1640 medium containing collagenase III. After purification, the isolated acinar cells were cultured in RPMI- 1640 medium with the addition of 2.5% fetal bovine serum.
Main outcome measures The morphological characteristics of acinar cells were described. 3H-thymidine incorporation of acinar cells and the activity of amylase or lipase were determined during the culture process.
Results There were no remarkable morphological changes in the pancreatic acinar cells during the 20 days’ culture. The acini showed a tendency to gather but did not attach to the walls of the culture disks. A good 3Hthymidine incorporation of acinar cells in the primary culture was maintained. The secretion of amylase or lipase from the acini decreased with the length of time of the culture.
Discussion The primary culture of acinar cells from a porcine pancreas which was carried out in this study maintained the normal morphology of the acinar cells and the ir ability to grow but not their secretion of amylase or lipase. The method would benefit by the further experiments on acini of porcine pancreas.