Induction of a differentiated ciliated cell phenotype in primary cultures of Fallopian tube epithelium

Human Fallopian tubal epithelial cells in culture lose morphologicalfeatures associated with the epithelium in situ and the extent to whichthey retain their in-vivo phenotype or function is unknown. In order toaddress this question, immunocytochemical markers were identified whichdistinguish secretory (HMFG2+, LhS28-) from ciliated (HMFG2-, LhS28+)epithelial cells in tissue sections of Fallopian tube. These markers wereused to analyse the phenotype of tubal cells in vitro. Primary cultures ofhuman tubal epithelial cells were seeded onto glass and grown to confluencebefore addition of oestradiol-17beta. In the absence of hormone, tubalepithelial cells expressed cytokeratins and nuclear receptors for oestrogenand progesterone and adopted a homogeneous (HMFG2+, LhS28-) secretory cellphenotype. Following the addition of oestradiol-17beta, a proportion ofcells became positive for LhS28. The induction of a ciliated epithelialcell phenotype was confirmed by scanning electron microscopy, where onpermeable collagen membranes, approximately one-third of tubal epithelialcells became ciliated in the presence of oestradiol-17beta. We suggest thatin vitro, tubal epithelial cells adopt an immature secretory-like phenotypeand that oestrogen can induce differentiation to a ciliated epithelial cellphenotype.