RESUMO
<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To investigate the biological characters of human skin fibroblasts in fibroblast populated collagen lattice (FPCL).</p><p><b>METHODS</b>The human fibroblasts were cultured in 3D and the collagen of the rat tail was also prepared. They were examined with the comprising cell cycle and apoptosis, mRNA expression of TGF beta1, and fibronectin, and cell morphology.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The flow cytometry showed that the G0/G1, stage cells were 79% +/- 3%, 87% +/- 2% after the 7 days and 14 days separately, and there were not apoptosis peak observed. RT-PCR analysis revealed that the mRNA expression of TGF beta1, and fibronectin had no difference between human skin fibroblasts cultured in 3D and 2D. Electron microscope showed the cells were plenty of chromatin and organelles.</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>The proliferation of the human skin fibroblasts in FPCL is slow, but its biological viability is better.</p>