Establishment and application of individualized culture system for melanocytes / 中华皮肤科杂志

ABSTRACT

ObjectiveTo establish an individualized culture system for melanocytes, and to estimate its efficacy for the treatment of large-area vitiligo. MethodsHu 16 medium was used for in vitro primary culture of melanocytes isolated from patients with stable segmental vitiligo.Doubling time(DOT), melanin content (M), melanin production(MP) and number of dendrites were examined to evaluate the biological activity of melanocytes. To obtain melanocytes with better biological activity, the components of Hu16 culture medium were adjusted. Ultra pulse CO2 laser was utilized to shave the vitiligous lesions and remove the epidermis followed by autologous transplantation. Follow-up was carried out. ResultsMelanocytes were obtained from 10 patients with stable segmental vitiligo and cultured. The melanocytes from 6 patients showed relatively short DOT, stable M and MP during the first and seventh passage, and were considered to be at initial or growth stage and applicable to transplantation. The remaining melanocytes from the other 4 patients had displayed long DOT, instable M, MP and dendrite quantity since the third passage; by adjusting the components of culture medium, these cells were induced into growth stage and finally applied to transplantation. A 12-month follow-up revealed that the repigmentation rate was higher than 90％ in 7 patients, ranged between 70％ and 80％ in the remaining 3 patients, with the transplantation area being 116.8 + 75.6 cm2. ConclusionsThe individualized culture system with adjusted components in culture medium yields melanocytes with satisfying biological activity, which are proved to be effective for the treatment of large-area, segmental and stable vitiligo.