[Osteogenic potential of rabbit dermal fibroblasts cultured in vitro: a histochemical and scanning electron...

Split-thickness rabbit skin was processed into small chips that were cultured in vitro and subjected to inverted phase contrast microscopic and scanning electron microscopic observation. The fibroblasts swam out of the skin chips and they increased in number rapidly and became confluenced. The cells exhibited squamous configuration, possessing arboreal bifurcations and forming multi-layer structure. The fibroblasts then excreted numerous minute granules, heaping up on and around the cells. Henceforth emerged on the cell surface fine needle-like crystals, that agglomerated with the granules to form nodules. The fibroblasts orientated themselves in a radiating pattern around the large nodules. Neighbouring nodules could be linked up into trabecular structure. Histochemical study of both the nodules and the trabecular structure with specific new bone labeller (Tetracycline and Alizarin red S) revealed positive reaction, denoting that the nodules and the trabecular structure produced by the fibroblasts were bone tissues. These results pointed out clearly to the osteogenic potential of the dermal fibroblasts.