Serum-free organ culture of the embryonic mouse ureter

The ability to explant and then maintain embryonic tissues in organ culture makes it feasible to study the growth and differentiation of whole organs, or parts or combinations of them, in three dimensions. Moreover, the possible effects of biochemical manipulations or mutations can be explored by visualising a growing organ. The mammalian renal tract comprises the kidney, ureter and urinary bladder, and the focus of this chapter is organ culture of the embryonic mouse ureter in serum-free defined medium. Over the culture period, rudiments grow in length, smooth muscle differentiates and ureters then undergo peristalisis in a proximal to distal direction.