INTRODUCTION
Organ culture, the cultivation of whole organs or parts thereof, is particularly suitable for studies of development, of inductive interactions, and of the effects of chemical and physical agents upon the physiological functions of specific organs. In vitro culture and growth of organs or parts thereof in which their various tissue components, e.g., parenchyma and stroma, are preserved both in terms of their structure and function so that the cultured organs resemble closely the concerned organs in vivo is called organ culture.
In such cultures, new growth is in the form of differentiated structures, e.g., glandular structures in case of glands, small bronchi in case of lung tissues, etc., in tissues lined with one or the other type of epithelium, the epithelium differentiates in a pattern similar to that in the concerned organs in vivo. The cultured organs retain their physiological features, e.g., hormone dependent organs remain hormone dependent, and endocrine organ go on secreting the specific hormones.
In addition, the morphogenesis in cultured foetal tissues is more or less comparable to that in vivo. In case of organ cultures, outgrowth of isolated cells from the periphery of explants is minimised by manipulating the culture conditions.
The first attempt at organ culture was by Loeb in 1897, who maintained adult rabbit liver, kidney, thyroid and ovary on small plasma clots in test tubes and noted that these organs retained their normal histological features for 3 days. Later in 1919, Loeb and Fleischer reported that the culture tube must be filled with O2 to prevent central necrosis of the explants.
The technique of organ culture has since been considerably refined; it may utilize one of the following 4 approaches :
1. Plasma Clot
2. Raft Methods
3. Agar Gel
4. Grid Method
5. Cyclic Exposure to Medium and Gas Phase
CHARACTERISTICS OF ORGAN CULTURE
1. Nutrient and Gaseous exchange it is difficult in vitro condition because of the absence of vascular system therefore the exchange of gases is not proper between tissue and media.
The central cells become necrotic in the organ culture with tissue. Thus
proper exchange should be there.
Level of media must be maintained to maintain its shape as it is less
flattened and more submerged.
2. Structural Integrity tissue should not break therefore proper care should be taken to maintain its structure and histology. The cell should not detach during the process.
3. Growth and Differentiation cell are already in their differential stage so they don’t proliferate but some outgrowth is common
CONDITIONS FOR ORGAN CULTURE
1. Media/Medium used for organ culture is similar to that of cell culture as TCM199 or CMR1066with or without serum
2. Type of Support it can be supported by a filter made of polycarbonate lying on either grid or filter level insert
3. Oxygen Tension elevated oxygen concentration is required
4. Stirred or Rocking or Rotated Culture is required for proper gaseous exchange.
