Effects of collagen fibers on the reorganization of samll intestine, especially on the formation of villi from fetal mouse small intestinal cells in cultures.

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We observed the process of the formation of villi in cultures of fetal small intestinal cells, and the role of collagen fibers, which are one of the components of extra-cellular matrix, was also observed during reorganization. Collagen content reached the highest level at 5 to 7 days of incubation. At this time, the reorganized small intestinal cells showed the most organ-like structures. Collagen content decreasedafter 7 days of incubation.When we added L-azethidine-2-carboxylic acid (AzC)that is an inhibitor of collagen synthesis, the formation of epithelium did not occur on the surface layer of cellular mass. Collagen fibers did not take a regular arrangement. It was confirmed that the regular arrangement of collagen fibers was also important for the reorganization and maintenance of organs, in addition to the quantitative changes of collagen fibers. Because the importance of collagen fibers for reorganization was confirmed, we examined an appearance of mnRNAs of bibroblast growth factor(FGF) and fibroblast growth factoar receptor (FGFR) related to proliferation of collagen producing cells. After 2 to 3 days of incubation, there were some differences between the appearance of FGF-1 and FGF-2. Further investIgation is necessary for the relation of reorganization and these growth factors.This culture method used here can observe the role of collagen fibers during organogenesis of small intestine. This culture system may provide a useful tooL for elucidation of role of collagen fibers in a process of the wound healing and organogenesis in future.