Culture and in vitro bromodeoxyuridine-labelling of mouse kidney explants

Summary A method is described for extended mouse renal organ culture and is evaluated for the study of cell proliferation in 1 mm³ explants of renal cortex. Explants were maintained for up to 14 days with cellular viability being sustained at 20% of the original tissue block from day 2. Labelling indices in tuft, capsular and tubular cells ranged from 0 to approximately 20% over the culture period, following in vitro bromodeoxyuridine uptake. This technique offers potential for the study of local effects of inhibitors of proliferation.