SERIAL CULTIVATION OF SINGLE KERATINOCYTES FROM THE OUTER ROOT SHEATH OF HUMAN SCALP HAIR-FOLLICLES

A method for the isolation of outer root sheath keratinocytes from plucked human hair follicles and for their subsequent cultivation has been developed. The selective trypsinization of outer root sheath keratinocytes provided a single cell suspension of defined origin within the hair follicle. The 3T3 feeder layer technique supports sustained growth of these cells in that as little as one single plucked hair follicle (yielding approximately 1.5 .times. 104 cells) consistently gave rise to a confluent 35-mm culture dish (with approximately 1.5 .times. 106 cells) within about 2 weeks. The outer root sheath keratinocytes can be serially passaged for up to 3 times and also cryopreserved.