Establishment of human tubal epithelial cells for coculture in an IVF program

OBJECTIVE: Our goal was to develop a coculture system from human tubal epithelial cells for use in a human IVF program. DESIGN: Fallopian tubes were obtained from women undergoing hysterectomy for benign disease. Ampullary epithelial cells were cultured, passaged, and frozen and the karyotype and epithelial characteristics of later passages examined. SETTING: The study took place at the Assisted Conception Clinic, Walsgrave Hospital, and the Department of Biological Sciences, University of Warwick. RESULTS: Ampullary epithelial cells can be successfully cultured and maintained as diploid epitheliod lines until the fifth passage. Freezing does not affect subsequent culture, the cytoskeleton, or the karyotype. In excess of 12 x 10(6) cells may be obtained from a pair of Fallopian tubes. CONCLUSIONS: The ease of establishing and maintaining human tubal epithelial cell cultures justified their use in clinical IVF for human embryo cocultures, and further investigations into their mode of action should be encouraged.