OVERVIEW OF IN-VITRO CELL-CULTURE TECHNOLOGIES AND PHARMACOTOXICOLOGICAL APPLICATIONS

Cutaneous-cell culture technologies have consisted initially of the is olation and maintenance of pure cutaneous cell types. Conventional (tw o-dimensional cultures) of keratinocytes or fibroblasts have yielded v aluable information on the biochemistry and physiology of the epidermi s or dermis. Subsequently, the aim of research has been co-culture of the various cell types to reconstitute in vitro the cellular interacti ons present in vivo. For example, co-culture of keratinocytes and mela nocytes allow studies on mechanisms of melanogenesis. At the same time the reconstruction of skin as a tissue-like structure has allowed an improved differentiation of the epidermis and the development of derma tological applications. From a practical point of view, the three-dime nsional culture of skin or epidermis is a decisive step in the develop ment of in vitro cutaneous pharmaco-toxicology. Various models are now available with different advantages and limitations according to thei r composition and their handling. All of them allow the testing of wat er-insoluble materials including cosmetics and dermatological products , or of physical agents such as UV radiation. In the near future, the refinement of these models by introduction of other cell types such as melanocytes, Langerhans cells or endothelial cells, and improvement o f the barrier function of the reconstructed stratum corneum, will perm it their use in new fields in alternative methods. (C) 1997 Published by Elsevier Science Ltd.