Repigmentation of vitiliginous skin by cultured cells.
Epidermal cells from pigmented areas of a patient with vitiligo were cultured in MCDB-153 medium, which supports the clonal growth of undifferentiated keratinocytes and melanocytes. The cells were grown on collagen-coated substrata. After the cells reached semiconfluence, the composite of substratum and cells was emplaced onto dermabraded vitiliginous areas as a graft. Re-epithelialization of the grafted areas was complete after 2 weeks. Repigmentation was evident after 1 month and continued over the observation period of several months. There was complete and normal differentiation of the graft, including a normal distribution of melanocytes in the basal layer. Ultrastructural studies showed a normal distribution of melanosomes in the melanocytes and showed keratinocytes that were indistinguishable from the uninvolved skin.
Brysk
M M
MM
Department of Dermatology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston 77550.
Newton
R C
RC
Rajaraman
S
S
Plott
T
T
Barlow
E
E
Bell
T
T
Penn
P
P
Smith
E B
EB
D000906:Antibodies / Q000378:metabolism; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D003470:Culture Media; D000078404:Epidermal Cells; D004817:Epidermis / Q000378:metabolism / Q000648:ultrastructure; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D007633:Keratins; D008544:Melanocytes / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism / Q000648:ultrastructure; D008854:Microscopy, Electron; D012880:Skin Pigmentation; D014184:Transplantation, Homologous; D014820:Vitiligo / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy*
D000906:Antibodies; D003470:Culture Media; D007633:Keratins