Optimised growth of human epidermal cells in vitro without the use of a feeder layer or collagen substrate.

A culture method has been developed which enables a reasonably large quantity of human epidermal cells to be grown in vitro without the use of irradiated 3T3 feeder layers or collagen substrates. These cultures become confluent within 2 or 3 weeks of initiation, and may be sub-cultured several times over their 16-week average lifespan provided that the calcium levels in the cultured medium are controlled. Some of the potential uses of these cultures are briefly discussed.