Isolation and culture of skin fibroblasts.

Dermal fibroblasts synthesize and organize skin connective tissue (dermis). Fibroblast cultures provide a powerful tool for investigating both the molecular mechanisms that regulate skin connective tissue production and the pathophysiology of fibrotic skin diseases. In this chapter, we describe detailed procedures for establishing and maintaining primary cultures of adult human fibroblasts. We also provide protocols for constructing three-dimensional dermal and skin equivalent culture models.