Boosting and Rescuing Epidermal Superior Population from Fresh Keratinocyte Cultures

The study from 2014 investigated a method to increase the yield of stem-like cells from primary human keratinocytes. The researchers used a two-step strategy involving rapid adherence to collagen IV and treatment with a ROCK inhibitor, followed by immunomagnetic separation to isolate a specific cell subset (α6high/CD71dim). This approach resulted in an increased number of cells with clonogenic capacity and an early epidermal phenotype, while reducing late differentiation markers. The combined treatment of collagen IV and ROCKi was particularly effective in enriching for stem-like cells that could form organized 3D stratified epithelia. The study concluded that this method could be beneficial for skin regeneration applications. At least four independent samples were analyzed, as indicated by the data presentation. Financial support was acknowledged from Skingineering and the Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology, with no competing financial interests reported.