A Model System for Long-Term Serum-Free Suspension Organ Culture of Human Fetal Tissues: Experiments on Digits and Skin from Multiple Body Regions

In 1997, researchers Zeltinger and Holbrook developed a suspension organ culture (SOC) system to study human fetal skin in vitro. They used this system to culture fetal digits and skin samples for 3 to 4 weeks, finding optimal conditions to be DMEM-F12 medium in a serum-free environment with a 45% oxygen atmosphere. The system supported the development of the epidermis, dermis, hair follicles, nails, and glands of the skin samples. The study involved 28 digit SOCs and 102 skin biopsies, with 36 of the skin SOCs developing hair follicles. The researchers concluded that this SOC system could be a valuable tool for studying various features of skin and for investigating the genetic mechanisms involved in tissue interactions and appendage formation.