Background/aims: This study aimed to test the viability and functionality of fresh and cryopreserved human hyperplastic parathyroid glands cultured in vitro.
Methods: Small fragments of 18 parathyroid glands from 18 patients with secondary hyperparathyroidism were cultured in vitro, freshly or after cryopreservation, during 60 h. Cell viability and functionality of the parathyroid fragments exposed to calcium and calcitriol were studied.
Results: Human parathyroid glands obtained from renal patients with secondary hyperparathyroidism maintained their viability and functionality for 60 h in culture. Sixty percent of the fresh but only 10% of the cryopreserved parathyroid glands showed the expected response with higher intact parathyroid hormone secretion when cultured with 0.6 mM calcium compared to 1.2 mM calcium. On the contrary, 44 of fresh and 40% of cryopreserved glands behaved in the same manner, showing a similar decrease in intact parathyroid hormone synthesis and secretion when cultured with calcitriol (10(-8)M).
Conclusion: These results demonstrate differences in the response to calcium between fresh and cryopreserved glands and no differences in the response to calcitriol. This in vitro culture method may be useful to discriminate between responsive and nonresponsive hyperplastic human parathyroid glands.
(c) 2007 S. Karger AG, Basel.