GROWTH KINETICS AND COLLAGEN-SYNTHESIS OF NORMAL SKIN, NORMAL SCAR AND KELOID FIBROBLASTS INVITRO

Fibroblasts were isolated from human keloid, normal skin and normal scar and maintained in tissue culture for 4 passages. Growth kinetics were the same for all groups on days 2-12. The rate of collagen synthesis/fibroblast was greater in keloid-derived cells than any controls at all growth phases. Keloid fibroblasts have an autonomous capacity to synthesize collagen at a significantly increased level in vitro, which may explain in part why these lesions are characterized by increased collagen deposition.