Biogenesis of epithelial phenotype during long-term cultivation of mdck cells in serum-free ultra-mdck medium

摘要

The Madin Darby Canine Kidney (MDCK) cell line is an ideal model for studying questions pertaining the influence of the environment on the epithelial phenotype biogenesis. Wild-type MDCK cells, are heterogeneous in terms of morphology and functions and consist of two genetically different subpopulations: Principal (P) cells and Intercalated (IC) cells, whose respective amounts can vary as a function-of culture conditions (culture medium, substrate, passages number...). Our previous experiments showing that MDCK cells can be easily cultivated over more than 150 passages under serum-free conditions, (Kessler et al, 1999) prompted us to follow up the genotypic and phenotypic characteristics of cells as well as the biogenesis of the epithelial phenotype during long term cultivation in such an environment.