Matrigel-induced tubular morphogenesis of human eccrine sweat gland epithelial cells

Human eccrine sweat glands are tubule-structured glands of the skin that are vital in thermoregulation, secretion, and excretion of water and electrolytes. A study of tubular morphogenesis in vitro would facilitate the development of a tissue engineering model for eccrine sweat glands and other tubule-structured glands. Matrigel, a basement membrane matrix, has been shown to promote differentiation and morphogenesis of many different cell types, including tubular cells. This study investigated the growth, differentiation, and tubular morphogenesis of human eccrine sweat gland epithelial cells cultured in Matrigel. Human eccrine gland epithelial cells were isolated and cultured in vitro. The cell growth in Matrigel was evidenced by the formation of cell clusters, which were observed under an inverted microscope. The internal structure of the cell clusters was further investigated by hematoxylin-eosin (HE) staining and confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM) of propidium iodide-stained nuclei. The results demonstrated that although on a plastic surface or in a collagen gel the cells could not form tubular structures, they formed tubular structures when cultured in Matrigel. Consequently, we conclude that Matrigel can promote tubular morphogenesis of human eccrine sweat gland epithelial cells.