Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jan 24, 2026

Dissection and Explant Culture of Murine Allantois for the In Vitro Analysis of Allantoic Attachment
Published on: January 13, 2018
Isolating Rat Intestinal Explants for In Vitro Cultures
Anjaney Kothari1, Padmavathy Rajagopalan1,2,3
1School of Biomedical Engineering and Sciences, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, Virginia.
Abstract:
The small intestine is an important organ primarily involved in digestion of food and absorption of nutrients. In vitro intestinal models are being developed to study this organ in health and disease. Intestinal explants can be used in such investigations since they contain all the major intestinal cell types. A detailed procedure to isolate intestinal explants from the rat jejunum is described. A protocol for culturing them in vitro for up to 24 hr is also provided. © 2019 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Related Concept Videos
Anatomy of the Intestines
Small Intestines
The small intestine is an ~7 meter-long tube with an inner diameter of just 2.5 cm. Since most nutrients are absorbed here, the inner lining of the...
Plant Tissue Culture
Techniques for Isolation of Pure Cultures
Small Intestine
The small intestine is divided into three main sections - the duodenum, jejunum, and ileum. The duodenum, approximately 25 cm long, is nearest the stomach. It acts as a 'mixing bowl,' where chyme (partially digested food) blends with digestive enzymes from the pancreas and liver. The duodenum's unique...
Large Intestine
The ileocecal sphincter, a mucous membrane fold, guards the opening from the ileum to the large intestine. This valve permits material from the small intestine to pass into the large intestine. Attached to the ileocecal valve is the cecum. This small pouch, approximately 6 cm long, has a twisted, coiled tube known as...
Histology of the Large Intestine
The innermost mucosa layer comprises simple columnar epithelium, lamina propria, and muscularis mucosae. This layer is primarily populated with absorptive cells, tasked with water absorption, and goblet cells, responsible for secreting mucus to...

