COLLAGENOLYTIC ACTIVITIES WITH DIFFERENTIATION OF THE CULTURED-CELLS FROM THE MURINE HAIR APPARATUS

Immature hair apparatus cells were cultured for 3 days to allow to pro liferate and differentiate into several subpopulations including hair- shaft type cells on day 6. Zymographic and immunocytochemical studies of the culture media were performed to examine whether the differentia ted and/or immature cells from the murine hair apparatus can secrete t ype IV collagenases. Zymography showed the presence of 72 and 92 kDa t ype IV collagenases in media, in which hair apparatus cells had been c ultured for 3 and 6 days. Most of the cells cultured for 3 and 6 days showed positive reactions with the mouse anti-gelatinase monoclonal an tibody in the perinuclear cytoplasm. These data suggest that the diffe rentiated cells as well as immature cells in the hair apparatus may re tain the ability to produce and secrete 72 and 92 kDa collagenases.