title: Serum-free cultivation of adult normal human choroidal melanocytes.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Cultures of normal choroidal melanocytes are useful in vitro models for the study of melanocyte biology. Current protocols involve the supplementation of culture media with serum, toxins, and phorbol esters, the latter being known as tumour-inducing agents. We therefore sought to establish a protocol to cultivate normal human choroidal melanocytes (NHCMs) without these supplements.
  
  
  METHODS
  NHCMs were isolated by dispase II treatment, after isolation of retinal pigment epithelial (RPE) cells, and seeded in serum-free Melanocyte Growth Medium M2 in uncoated T25 cell culture flasks. Purity of the established cultures was proven by immunocytochemistry. Morphology of the cultured cells was evaluated throughout the entire cultivation period. Eventually, cells were cryopreserved in liquid nitrogen.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The cultures underwent at least 11.5 +/- 4.5 doublings before they became senescent or culture was deliberately terminated. Mean generation time was 95.0 +/- 27.7 h. After cryopreservation, generation time was markedly increased, but proliferative capacity of the cells was not impaired. Cultured cells showed bipolar to dendritic morphology; sometimes flattened triangular cells were seen in the cultures. Cultured cells lost pigment after initial seeding but displayed continuous melanogenesis. All cultures stained positive for HMB45 antigen and S-100 and negative for RPE-specific cytokeratins 8, 18. Only few cultures contained single cells that were weakly positive for matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-2 or MMP-9.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The cultivation protocol yields pure cultures of NHCMs that can successfully be maintained for several months without the use of serum, tumour-inducing substances, or toxins.
authors: Tissue Engineering Laboratories, Biotechnological Centre (BIOTEC), University of Technology Dresden, Tatzberg 47-51, 01307 Dresden, Germany. monika.valtink@biotec.tu-dresden.de
authors: Monika
authors: M
authors: Valtink
authors: Katrin
authors: K
authors: Engelmann
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000951:Antigens, Neoplasm; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000378:metabolism; D018929:Cell Culture Techniques / Q000379:methods*; D049109:Cell Proliferation; D002469:Cell Separation; D002829:Choroid / Q000166:cytology* / Q000378:metabolism; D015925:Cryopreservation; D016895:Culture Media, Serum-Free; D019084:Fluorescent Antibody Technique, Indirect; D006801:Humans; D007124:Immunoenzyme Techniques; D020778:Matrix Metalloproteinase 2 / Q000378:metabolism; D020780:Matrix Metalloproteinase 9 / Q000378:metabolism; D008544:Melanocytes / Q000166:cytology* / Q000378:metabolism; D058950:Melanoma-Specific Antigens; D008938:Mitosis; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D009418:S100 Proteins / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D000951:Antigens, Neoplasm; D015415:Biomarkers; D016895:Culture Media, Serum-Free; D058950:Melanoma-Specific Antigens; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins; D009418:S100 Proteins; D020778:Matrix Metalloproteinase 2; D020780:Matrix Metalloproteinase 9