In vitro and in vivo organ cultures containing respiratory epithelium

A combination of two methods, organ culture and transplantation under the kidney capsule of nude mice, can be a suitable tool to study the mechanism of carcinogenesis of the human respiratory epithelium and to detect risks in environmental pollution. We used two tissues containing the respiratory epithelium--rat lung and human vocal cord. Gelita, a porous material used in surgery for haemostasis, produces a good support for the growing organ cultures of both tissues. These tissues continue to grow and to differentiate after transplantation under the kidney capsule. No pronounced immunological reaction of the nude mouse was detected. These conditions not only allow us to test various carcinogenic substances and their combinations, but as well enable us to detect an eventual malignant growth.