Tissue and Keratinocyte Procurement

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The role of the Tissue and Keratinocyte Procurement Core is to facilitate the acquisition of primary tissue and keratinocytes from normal human skin, patient specimens, and genetically-engineered mice. Researchers who discover a skin phenotype in genetically-engineered mice need to identify whether a similar phenotype is observed in human disease. Additionally, researchers who want to determine if a particular molecule or pathway is involved in skin physiology require primary keratinocytes from geneticallyengineered mice for analysis. Skin biologists often use human skin models, including skin organ culture and human skin xenografts, which requires continuous procurement of normal human skin. To facilitate these studies, core B will provide expertise, service, and training in obtaining these primary tissues and the relevant IRB approvals. Since primary keratinocyte cultures are derived from freshly isolated human skin, the core can distribute these tissues using cost-effective and uniform methods. Additionally, Core B will establish a tissue bank from patient skin biopsy specimens stored in the dermatopathology clinical laboratory. When a skin or hair follicle phenotype is identified, relevant paraffin embedded samples from the Core B tissue bank will be identified and provided to Core A (Skin Histology and Characterization) for sectioning and histopathological analysis. Core B will also coordinate with Core C (Stem Cell and Xenograft) to procure normal human skin for xenografting. The unique services provided by core B therefore ensure the efficient distribution of primary tissues and facilitate translational research in animal and human models of skin disease, especially for Center researchers with no experience in skin biology or access to patient specimens. The Aims of the core are: 1) To provide expertise, service and training in obtaining primary keratinocyte cultures, 2) To provide expertise and service in obtaining formalin-fixed sections of normal human skin and human skin diseases by establishing a tissue bank of patient skin biopsy specimens, and 3) To provide freshly isolated normal human skin for physiologic and pathophysiologic studies.