[Culture of human normal keratinocytes. Main models and clinical applications]

In the last fifteen years various epidermal cell (EC) culture systems have been developed suitable both for investigation purposes and for clinical applications. In organ and explant cultures skin pieces are grown to obtain in the first case vertical proliferation of epidermis and in the second outward migration and proliferation of EC. In isolated EC cultures, EC suspensions are seeded on plastic or specific substrates (collagens, fibronectin, 3T3 fibroblasts). EC attach to the substrate, proliferate to form a confluent multilayered epithelium and can be subcultured. Using a serum-free medium (MCDB 153) EC can be grown in culture free of any undefined supplement. In organotypical culture systems, EC are seeded on a biological matrix (dermis, dermal equivalent) and lifted at the air-liquid interface. Under these conditions a high level of differentiation of the cultured epidermis can be obtained. The availability of a culture-grown epithelium, similar to the in vivo epidermis, has led to the use of cultured epidermal sheets for the treatment of wounds, in particular burns. The therapeutic results have been quite promising.