Skin culture models serve as a key complementary tool for understanding normal and diseased skin biology by removing native cells from the complexity of the in vivo environment and into carefully controlled culture systems that facilitate mechanistic analysis. Primary skin cells can be expanded for high throughput analysis to provide a safe, pre-clinical model for drug discovery and test novel therapeutics. Isolated human cells can also be used to reconstruct 3-D skin equivalents that provide insight into mechanisms that govern tissue development, homeostasis and disease. The Skin Tissue Engineering Core is constructed to aid SDRC researchers in the use of primary skin culture models for their research. Towards this aim, the Core provides training, services and materials for the initiation and maintenance of primary skin cell cultures (i.e. keratinocytes, melanocytes and fibroblasts). Short- and long-term mouse keratinocyte cultures are generated for studies aimed at defining the cellular and molecular basis of skin defects evident in engineered mouse models. Users have access to a large supply of primary human keratinocytes isolated from neonatal foreskin but also an expanding library of control and patient keratinocytes from donors of various age, gender, race, body site, and disease. Viral, pharmacological and genetic reprogramming technologies are made available through the Core to overcome limitations in donor tissue availability. Training and provision of 3-D organotypic models of human epidermis established from control and patient skin cells allows investigators to address questions about skin biology in an architecturally appropriate manner where multiple cell types can interact with one another. The Core also provides skin culture reagents at reduced cost to users, access to specialized equipment amenable to skin biology studies, and integration with other SDRC (DNA/RNA Delivery; Morphology and Phenotyping) and institutional Cores (Cell Imaging Facility; High Throughput Analysis Laboratory; Human Embryonic and iPS Cell Facility) that enhances the utility of these skin culture models.
Skin culture models provide a powerful, safe and reliable tool to dissect the molecular and cellular basis of complex cutaneous disorders and test new therapies under well controlled experimental conditions. The Skin Tissue Engineering Core delivers expertise, materials and technical support in the use of a diverse array of skin cultures to facilitate these studies for SDRC members and thereby accelerate the pace of discovery.
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