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.

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.

Abstract: Immortalized human cornea). epithelial cell line capable of becoming stratified, and capable of expressing (1) metabolic markers specific for non-immortalized human epithelial cells such as vimentin, cytokeratins, connections between the cells, cytochrome P450s, a glutathione-S-transferase, Cu/Zn-superoxide dismutase, glutathione peroxidase, aldehyde reductase and catalase; (2) metabolic differentiation markers specific for non-immortalized human cornea). epithelial cells such as the cytokeratin of 64 kfl, the glutathione-stransferase hGST 5.8, and the profile of cytokines and growth factors comprising the compounds TNF&agr;, IL-1&bgr;, IL-1&agr;, IL-6, IL-8, GM CSF-&bgr;, IL-ra, TGF-&bgr;1, TGF-&bgr;2, TGF&agr;, EGF, PDGF-&bgr;; (3) and markers specific for an inflammatory reaction such as collagenase I, the bradykinin, histamine and PAF receptors, and the system for transduction of an inflammatory signal by the phosphoinositides.

Abstract: Immortalized adult human colon epithelial 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.