AJP - Gastrointestinal and Liver Physiology, Vol 262, Issue 2 359-G363, Copyright © 1992 by American Physiological Society
Isolation of human colonic crypts for study of xenobiotics metabolism
M. Schwenk, P. Dechelotte and T. Riemenschneider
Abteilung Allgemeine Pharmakologie, Medizinische Hochschule Hannover, Federal Republic of Germany.
Methods allowing study of human colonic drug and carcinogen metabolism in
intact epithelial preparations in vitro are needed. We describe an
isolation method yielding intact colonic crypts with well-maintained
ultrastructural integrity and good viability parameters. The crypt
preparations obtained with this method were used to study phase I and II
drug biotransformation. The colonic crypts demethylated aminopyrine and
nitrosodimethylamine slowly, but the colonic carcinogen dimethylhydrazine
at a higher rate. The phenolic compounds estrone, 17 beta-estradiol, and
1-naphthol were readily conjugated. In conclusion, the present method
yields preparations well suited for further investigation of the role of
human colonic biotransformation in carcinogenesis and drug
pharmacokinetics.
