AIM: To culture fetal murine epidermal stem cells and follicular papilla cells in vitro and to investigate the regeneration of epidermis and follicle on animal models. METHODS: The fetal murine epidermal stem cells (ESCs) were isolated by adhering to collagen type IV and cultured in conditional medium in vitro. Then, the ESCs were identified by intergrin β 1 and keratin15 antibodies, and the cell cycle profile and colony forming efficiency (CFE) were also studied. Meanwhile the follicular papilla cells were cultured from single follicle and grown in fibrin gel. Finally, the ESCs and papilla cells were transplanted on the full skin wound of BALB/C nude mouse together and the regeneration of epidermis and follicle would be investigated in the following 8～10 weeks. RESULTS: The ESCs isolated by collagen type IV were intergrin β 1 and kerain15 staining positive. The cell cycle profile analysis showed that 94.9% of the ESCs were at G1 stage and only 3.5% at S stage. As the control group, 74.1% of keratinocytes were at G1 stage and 17.5% at S stage. The CFE of ESCs was 15.3% and that of keratinocytes was 6.7%. After covered by ESCs and papilla cells for 8～10 weeks, the regeneration of epidermis and follicle were observed on the back of the mouse. CONCLUSION: The epidermal stem cells and follicular papilla cells could be isolated and cultured in vitro, and the epidermal stem cells could take part in forming the new follicle and epidermis structure induced by follicular papilla cells.
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