| abstract |
Human epithelial colon immortalized cell line, which does not express tumour markers, which expresses metabolic markers specific for the non-immortalized human epithelial cells and metabolic differentiation markers specific for the non-immortalized epithelial cells of the human colon, and which is capable of adhering in vitro to the strain of lactic acid bacterium CNCM-1225. Serum-free culture medium characterized in that it comprises trace elements, vitamins consisting of vitamin C and retinoic acid, and hormones consisting of triiodothyronine, dexamethasone, hydrocortisone, bovine pituary gland extract, insulin, EGF and transferrin. Process for the immortalization of epithelial cells of the human colon, in which a culture of primary epithelial cells derived from the human colon is prepared, the culture is infected with a recombinant virus, the immortalized cells are cultured in the serum-free culture medium according to the invention. Process for identifying the mutagenic, toxic or beneficial effect of an agent on the metabolism of the cells of the intestinal tract, in which (1) an agent suspected of being a mutagenic, toxic or beneficial agent for the metabolism of the cells of the intestinal tract is reacted, cultured or brought into contact with a culture comprising a cell line according to the invention, and (2) the effects of the said agent on the said cell line are determined or measured. Use of the cells according to the invention as an active pharmaceutical agent. |