[Isolation and purification of eccrine sweat glands in human skin].
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the method of isolation and purification of epithelial cells of human eccrine sweat gland in vitro.


METHODS
Through digesting human skin with collagenase type II, cells of human eccrine sweat gland were isolated. Highly purified gland cells were obtained through transferring into the conditioned medium with a micropipette for at least three times under an inverted microscope. Primary culture was started immediately after purification. Cells could be further purified by enzyme-digestion to eradicate the fibroblasts.


RESULTS
Collagenase type II could digest dermal collagen with little damage to gland cells. Isolated cells from human sweat glands were adherent to the wall of culture flask, and they grew well in cultures. The problem of contamination by tissue debris and other cells such as fibroblast could be overcome.


CONCLUSIONS
Isolation and purification of human sweat gland cells in vitro are still facing tough problems. Gland cells are successful to isolate and cultivate without contamination.
Zhou
Gang
G
Key Research Laboratory of Wound Repair, Burns Institute, 304th Clinical Department of General Hospital of PLA, Beijing 100037, China.
Li
Hai-hong
HH
Fu
Xiao-bing
XB
Chen
Wei
W
Han
Bing
B
Bai
Xiao-dong
XD
Sun
Tong-zhu
TZ
Gu
Shao-feng
SF
Qu
Zhen-liang
ZL
D018929:Cell Culture Techniques / Q000379:methods*; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D004439:Eccrine Glands / Q000166:cytology*; D006801:Humans