Intestinal Cells Produce Basement Membrane Proteins in Vitro
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Gut: first published as 10.1136/gut.28.Suppl.143 on 1 January 1987. Downloaded from Gut, 1987, 28, S1, 143-151 Intestinal cells produce basement membrane proteins in vitro URSULA HAHN, D SCHUPPAN, E G HAHN, H-J MERKER, AND E-O RIECKEN From the Div. of Gastroenterology, Dept of Medicine, Steglitz Medical School and Div. of Anatomy, Free University of Berlin, West Berlin, FRG SUMMARY The epithelial-mesenchymal interface of the intestinal mucosa obviously plays an important role in supporting the mucosal architecture. Its significance for the process of migration and differentiation of the epithelial cells remains to be resolved. It consists of a basement membrane, the anchoring zone and the subepithelial connective tissue, the origin of which is unknown. We therefore established an in vitro model to study the development of the endodermal-mesenchymal interface of the fetal human and murine intestinal mucosa. The distribution of the interstitial collagens type I, III, VI and procollagen type III as well as the basement membrane components collagen type IV and laminin was investigated immunohistochemically in these fetal explant cultures. The cultures were also adapted to serum free culture conditions. It was evident that while laminin and collagen type IV could be detected in the primary intestinal epithelium, the formation of an authentic basement membrane required the presence of both the epithelial and the mesenchymal cells. Interstitial collagens and procollagen type III were produced exclusively by the mesenchymal cells. Basement membrane formation in vitro coincided with cytodifferentiation of the endodermal cells as betrayed by electron microscopy and the activity of brush border enzymes. In conclusion, the maturation of the endoderm and the formation of the subepithelial basement http://gut.bmj.com/ membrane require the intimate proximity of viable mesenchyme in vitro. The functional capacity of the small intestinal availability of specific antibodies to macromolecules epithelium depends on the number and integrity of of the extracellular matrix has intensified research in mature villus cells generated by the proliferative this area."6 Thus, the investigation of cell-matrix on September 25, 2021 by guest. Protected copyright. compartment of the crypts. While humoral factors interactions in the gut at a molecular level has become and the adaptive response of the intestinal mucosa feasible. have been studied in detail to elucidate how the We have recently conducted a comprehensive proliferation of the epithelium is regulated, little survey on the distribution of collagen type I, III, IV, attention has been directed to the interaction of the V, VI, procollagen type I and III, fibronectin, laminin epithelial cells with their extracellular matrix. Migra- and undulin in the human intestinal mucosa.7 Our tion and terminal differentiation of the intestinal studies have revealed a very homogenous appearance epithelial cells along the crypt-villus axis, however, of the subepithelial basement membrane all along the imply that unique regulatory mechanisms should exist entire human alimentary canal. The major consti- concerning the interaction of the epithelial cells, their tuents of the basement membrane, laminin and basement membrane and the subepithelial connective collagen type IV, were found continuously within the tissue. Defective regulation of the migratory rate of subepithelial basement membrane. Along the crypt- the epithelial cells will alter cell turnover and hence villus axis, no apparent gradient of the relative the functional capacity of the mucosa. proportions of these two macromolecules within the Today we can apply the knowledge of the general basement membrane was observed immunohisto- biochemical composition and function of the extra- logically. It has been suggested that the differentiated cellular matrix and the basement membranes that has epithelial cells may contribute to the synthesis of the expanded impressively over recent years.t 4 The basement membrane proteins. Direct evidence for this Address for correspondence: Dr Ursula Hahn, Jefferson Medical College, possibility, however, is lacking. In contrast, produc- Room 403, 1025 Walnut St., Philadelphia, PA, 19107, USA. tion of fibronectin, interstitial collagens and probably 143 Gut: first published as 10.1136/gut.28.Suppl.143 on 1 January 1987. Downloaded from 144 Hahn, Schuppan, Hahn, Merker, and Riecken collagen type IV by undifferentiated intestinal epi- Ofthe murine fetal intestines, only 1-2 cm proximal thelial cells of an epithelial cell line in vitro has been to the ileocaecal junction were retained, minced into reported.89 These rapidly proliferating epithelial cells 1 x 1 mm fragments and placed into a culture dish. share some features of crypt cells but do not For the immunofluorescence studies, the explants differentiate when cultured as a plain monolayer. As were grown on plastic Petri dishes (Falcon, Oxnard, the degree of differentiation and the type of matrix USA) or on glass coverslips pretreated for one hour at produced by a certain cell type are generally closely 60 °C in 0-1 M HCI, one hour at 80 °C in aqua dest correlated, it is difficult to extrapolate the obser- and stored in 70% alcohol. For the electron micro- vations with undifferentiated cell lines to the be- scopical examinations, fetal explants were grown on haviour of fully differentiated cells. Thermonox slides (Lux Scientifique, Naperville, The properties of the subepithelial fibroblasts USA). In one set of experiments, glass coverslips and have yet to be defined beyond their morphological Thermonox slides were covered with either native features.10-12 Most likely, they secrete the collagens laminin (a gift of Dr R Timpl, Max Planck Institute, and other macromolecules of the connective tissue Munich), collagen type I and IV (prepared from within the lamina propria ('reticulin', 'ground sub- human placenta by Dr D Schuppan) or fibronectin stance'). We have obtained evidence that different (Biochrom, West Berlin) in the following manner: subpopulations of fibroblast-like cells coexist in the these proteins were diluted in 0-2 M ammonium lamina propria and the submucosa.7 Whether the bicarbonate or in 0 5 M acetic acid at 50,g/ml and subepithelial fibroblasts are involved in basement 1 ml of each solution per 35 mm Petri dish containing membrane formation is not clear. During ontogenesis, the coverslip was then allowed to evaporate under an the mesenchymal cells exert a powerful influence on ultraviolet light source. the fetal endoderm and the importance of the Intestinal mesenchymal cells from the same sources mesenchyme for the maturation of the intestinal were readily obtained from longer jejunal segments mucosa has been clearly documented.'3-15 which were slit open longitudinally and placed into In this study, we present evidence for the biosyn- the culture dishes with the epithelial surface upper- thesis of basement membrane proteins by primary most. Initially, all the explants were nourished by as intestinal epithelial cells and for the requirement of little medium as possible (2-3 ml/10 cm dish) to a mesenchyme for the deposition of complete base- promote the attachment of the intestinal fragments to http://gut.bmj.com/ ment membrane. An experimental model is proposed the dish. The volume of the medium was then slowly which permits the investigation of basement mem- increased to 12 ml/dish. brane formation in a chemically defined medium. CULTURE CONDITIONS Methods Explant cultures were incubated in DMEM (see above) plus 10% fetal calf serum (Biochrom, West EXPLANT CULTURES Berlin), 4 mM glutamine (Biochrom, West Berlin), Fetal NMRI mice and fetal Sprague-Dawley rats 50 U/ml penicillin, 50 /tg/ml streptomycin (both from on September 25, 2021 by guest. Protected copyright. were obtained by hysterectomy at a fixed gestational Sigma, Munich, West Germany) and 140 mU/ml age. Day 0 of gestation was defined as the day of insulin (Hoechst, Frankfurt, West Germany) under appearance of the vaginal plug. 8 % CO2 in air at 35 'C. Hormone-supplemented, The small intestine of fetal mice at day 14-16 and serum free medium consisted of: DMEM plus 50,ug/ of fetal rats at day 15-17 was removed at 4 OC with ml transferrin, 50 ,ug/ml ascorbic acid, 50 ng/ml the help of a dissecting microscope and immediately epidermal growth factor, 1 ,tg/ml dexamethasone (all placed into ice cold Dulbecco's modified Eagle's from Sigma, Munich, West Germany), 2 mM glut- medium ('DMEM') containing 4 5 g/l glucose (Boeh- amine (Biochrom, West Berlin) and 50 mU/ml insulin ringer, Mannheim, West Germany). (Hoechst, Frankfurt, West Germany). Medium was Human fetal small intestine was obtained from two exchanged every three to four days. therapeutic hysterectomies during the I1th and 12th week of pregnancy, respectively. Explant cultures HISTOCHEMICAL TECHNIQUES were set up under identical conditions after transport The presence of alkaline phosphatase, lactase and of the fetal intestines to the laboratory in ice cold a-glucosidase was documented histochemically in Leibovitz L-15 medium (Biochrom, West Berlin). Out unfixed explant cultures according to Gutschmidt of a total of 28 explants originating from the ileum et al. 1617 and jejunum, 24 developed a large primary epithelial monolayer and were processed for immunofluor- ELECTRON MICROSCOPY escence or electron microscopy. No attempts were For transmission electron microscopy, the explants made to use serum free medium for culturing human grown on Thermonox