Human Skin Fibroblasts Derived from Papillary and Reticular Dermis: Differences in Growth Potential in Vitro

Abstract

Papillary fibroblasts, when compared to reticular fibroblasts from the same skin specimen, exhibit greater proliferative capacities in vitro. These results demonstrate a difference in function between morphologically similar cells obtained from the same tissue. Such findings represent an important consideration in the study of cell aging in vitro.

Fibroblast selection in scleroderma

“…Differences are reproducible between passages 4 and 9, suggesting that the level of collagen synthesis is conserved through multiple cell population doublings and is a heritable and intrinsic property of the cell. Recently recognized differences between papillary and reticular dermal fibroblasts in normal (9) and scleroderma (6,lO) skin may represent in vivo segregation of heterogeneous dermal fibroblasts.…”

Fibroblast heterogeneity: implications for human disease

“…Fibroblasts are cells that synthesize and integrate structural proteins such as collagen and elastin into the extracellular matrix (ECM) of most mesenchymal tissues (1)(2)(3)(4). It has long been believed that fibroblasts exhibit differing functional identities (5), and in recent years, evidence has emerged to support this concept. Fibroblasts are characterized by the expression of markers including vimentin and procollagen Iα2 chain (1).…”

“…Papillary and reticular fibroblasts can be isolated by explant culture of mechanically sectioned (dermatomed) human dermis. Explant fibroblast cultures derived from these layers exhibit differences in a number of parameters, including rate of cell division, contraction, and the expression of various collagens and proteoglycans (5,51,52). Cultured fibroblasts derived from the papillary dermis support the formation of a normal stratified epidermis in three-dimensional organotypic culture more effectively than fibroblasts from the reticular dermis (47,53,54).…”

<b>GLYCOSAMINOGLYCAN METABOLISM BY SCLERODERMA FIBROBLASTS IN </b><b>CULTURE </b>

“…Dermis fibroblasts might be the candidate which involve the disturbance of glycosaminoglycan metabolism in scleroderma. Harper and Grove (10) reported that papillary fibroblasts, when compared to reticular fibroblasts from the same skin specimen, exhibit greater proliferative capacities in virro. Tajima er al.…”