OBJECTIVE: To isolate, culture and characterize fibroblasts from the buccal mucosa of areca nut chewers with and without oral submucous fibrosis (OSF). MATERIALS AND METHODS: Primary fibroblast cultures were established by the collagenase disaggregation technique and the phenotypic and growth characteristics were studied. RESULTS: Cells cultured from OSF showed a statistically significant increase in both the post-mitotic fibroblast subpopulation and the population doubling time when compared with controls. CONCLUSION: There was a significant increase in the pro-fibrotic, post-mitotic subpopulation of fibroblasts in areca nut chewers with OSF.
OBJECTIVE: To isolate, culture and characterize fibroblasts from the buccal mucosa of areca nut chewers with and without oral submucous fibrosis (OSF). MATERIALS AND METHODS: Primary fibroblast cultures were established by the collagenase disaggregation technique and the phenotypic and growth characteristics were studied. RESULTS: Cells cultured from OSF showed a statistically significant increase in both the post-mitotic fibroblast subpopulation and the population doubling time when compared with controls. CONCLUSION: There was a significant increase in the pro-fibrotic, post-mitotic subpopulation of fibroblasts in areca nut chewers with OSF.