Abstract
The intestinal epithelium is the most rapidly self-renewing tissue in adult mammals. In the past, extensive efforts have been made to establish primary small intestinal culture systems. However, no defined, reproducible and robust culture system has been developed. We have identified essential growth factors to maintain intestinal stem cells in vitro and established a novel culture system for mouse and human small intestinal and colonic epithelial stem cells. In this culture system, isolated crypts form “organoid structures” with a histological hierarchy that recapitulates the in vivo intestinal epithelium. We further applied the organoid culture system to diseased epithelia, such as adenoma, adenocarcinoma and Barrett's epithelium. The organoid culture system provides a versatile platform to study intestinal epithelial cell biology and the mechanisms of gastrointestinal disease.
