[Population structure of in vitro cultured keratinocytes]

Analysis of behavior of isolated epidermal keratinocytes demonstrated two dominant processes within the first two days of cultivation: formation of cell aggregates and their adhesion to the substrate. Keratinocyte spreading increased in the attached aggregates, where densely packed and well spread cells could be recognized in the aggregate center and periphery, respectively. Cell spreading and proliferation was observed in the following days. Randomly distributed p63-positive cells amounted to 35% in the studied 2-3-day keratinocyte cultures. The process of epidermal cell aggregation was reproduced in the population of basal keratinocytes, where Ki-67-expressing cells amounted to about 20%. Single cells expressing keratin 19 were observed during cell aggregation in the secondary culture. We believe that the aggregation of cultured keratinocytes reflects the formation of structural-functional units (SFUs) in vivo. Disaggregated epidermal keratinocytes maintained the information relevant for self-assembly of three-dimensional structures capable of SFU formation after transplantation into the body.