Human schwann cells in tissue culture: histochemical and ultrastructural studies.

Schwann cells cultures were established from 40 human peripheral nerves that underwent biopsy according to an explant-reexplantation technique that markedly reduces non-Schwann cells and achieves cultures greatly enriched in Schwann cells suitable for a wide range of studies. Described are the growth characteristics and histochemical, ultrastructural, and ultrastructural-cytochemical patterns of normal human cultured Schwann cells from 12 patients with demonstrable peripheral nerve abnormality. These findings serve as a basis of comparison when seeking abnormalities of Schwann cells grown from peripheral nerves of patients with putative dysschwannian neuropathies.