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Updated: Aug 19, 2026
Isolation and Culture of Adult Epithelial Stem Cells from Human Skin
Published on: March 31, 2011
[Isolation and purification of eccrine sweat glands in human skin]
Gang Zhou1, Hai-hong Li, Xiao-bing Fu
1Key Research Laboratory of Wound Repair, Burns Institute, 304th Clinical Department of General Hospital of PLA, Beijing 100037, China.
Objective:
To investigate the method of isolation and purification of epithelial cells of human eccrine sweat gland in vitro.
Methods:
Through digesting human skin with collagenase type II, cells of human eccrine sweat gland were isolated. Highly purified gland cells were obtained through transferring into the conditioned medium with a micropipette for at least three times under an inverted microscope. Primary culture was started immediately after purification. Cells could be further purified by enzyme-digestion to eradicate the fibroblasts.
Results:
Collagenase type II could digest dermal collagen with little damage to gland cells. Isolated cells from human sweat glands were adherent to the wall of culture flask, and they grew well in cultures. The problem of contamination by tissue debris and other cells such as fibroblast could be overcome.
Conclusion:
Isolation and purification of human sweat gland cells in vitro are still facing tough problems. Gland cells are successful to isolate and cultivate without contamination.
