It has been reported that explants of human fetal intestine can be maintained in culture for up to 21 days in a viable condition and that these organ cultures support the growth of a variety of known viral agents responsible for enteric disease. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) has been undertaken on several series of these explants to determine their appearance under routine culture conditions.Fresh specimens of jejunum obtained from normal human fetuses were washed, dissected into l-4mm pieces, and cultured in modified Leibowitz L-15 medium at 34° C as previously described. Serial specimens were fixed each day in 3% glutaraldehyde for 90 minutes at room temperature, rinsed, dehydrated, and dried by the CO2 critical point method in a Denton DCP-1 device. Specimens were attached to aluminum stubs with 3M transfer tape No. 465, and one sample on each stub was carefully rolled along the adhesive such that villi were broken off to expose their interiors.
