FORMATION OF EPIDERMIS BY SERIALLY CULTIVATED HUMAN EPIDERMAL CELLS TRANSPLANTED AS AN EPITHELIUM TO ATHYMIC MICE

Publisher Website
Google Scholar
Abstract
SUMMARY Human epidermal cells were grown serially in surface culture by inoculation of suspensions of disaggregated cells. Single cells grew into colonies and the colonies fused to make a confluent epithelium. The epithelium was detached as unit and transplanted onto a graft bed prepared in athymic mice. Such grafts formed epidermis complete with stratum comoum. Although they became considerably reduced in area, the grafts remained healthy for as long as 108 days after grafting. The human origin of the grafts wag demonstrated with a species-specific antiscrum to a precursor protein of the cross-linked envelope.