Efficient culturing of human melanocytes from suction blisters.

The culturing of normal human melanocytes from the roof of suction blisters of adult oriental volunteers was carried out. Since the epidermal roofs of blisters did not contain any fibroblasts, and since keratinocytes did not attach to the culture dishes in the presence of PMA (phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate), many melanocytes were obtained which grew well in the presence of PMA. This method is a very simple and easy way to establish pure melanocyte cultures.