Development of this protocol was funded by the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine (CIRM, TR1-01246) and Parkinson Alliance.

The skin punch biopsy obtained using standard procedure3 (e.g. obtained with 4mm round Visipunch instrument) should be kept in complete DMEM 20% FBS media on ice. Once the sample has arrived in the laboratory, process the biopsy as soon as possible.
1. Preparation of the Skin Punch Biopsy
STEPS 1.1- 1.3 ARE TO BE PERFORMED INSIDE A BIOSAFETY CABINET
<ol>
 <li>Prepare in advance: Add 1 ml of 0.1% Gelatin to each well of a 6-wel...

<ol>
	<li>Nguyen, H. N., et al. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=LRRK2+mutant+iPSC-derived+DA+neurons+demonstrate+increased+susceptibility+to+oxidative+stress.">LRRK2 mutant iPSC-derived DA neurons demonstrate increased susceptibility to oxidative stress.</a> Cell Stem Cell. 8, 267-280 (2011).</li><li>Mak, S. K., Tewari, D., Tetrud, J. W., Langston, J. W., Schule, B. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Mitochondrial+dysfunction+in+skin+fibroblasts+from+a+Parkinson's+disease+patient+with+an+alpha-synuclein+triplication.">Mitochondrial dysfunction in skin fibroblasts from a Parkinson's disease patient with an alpha-synuclein triplication.</a> Journal of Parkinson's Disease. 1, 175-183 (2011).</li><li>Punch Zuber, T. J. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=biopsy+of+the+skin.">biopsy of the skin.</a> Am. Fam. Physician. 65, 1155-1164 (2002).</li><li>Takashima, A. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Establishment+of+fibroblast+cultures.">Establishment of fibroblast cultures.</a> Curr. Protoc. Cell Biol. Chapter 2, Unit 2, 1 (2001).</li><li>Kuroda, K., Tajima, S. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=HSP47+is+a+useful+marker+for+skin+fibroblasts+in+formalin-fixed,+paraffin+embedded+tissue+specimens.">HSP47 is a useful marker for skin fibroblasts in formalin-fixed, paraffin embedded tissue specimens.</a> J. Cutan. Pathol. , 241-246 (2004).</li></ol>

With this protocol, relatively pure cultures of skin fibroblasts can be obtained. The fibroblasts have characteristic morphological features of elongated, spindle-like cell bodies, round to oval cell nuclei, and the fibroblasts grow aligned and in bundles when confluent. The media supports the growth of fibroblasts whereas other cell populations e.g. keratinocytes need additional supplements and growth factors, or are mitotically less active, this allows for relatively pure fibroblast cultures. 
<p class="...

<table border="1">
<tbody>
 <tr>
 <td>Name of Equipment</td>
 <td>Company</td>
 <td>Catalogue Number</td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
 <td>Dissecting microscope</td>
 <td>Leica</td>
 <td>S6E</td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
 <td>10 cm Tissue Culture Petri dish</td>
 <td>VWR</td>
 <td>25382-166</td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
 <td>6-well Tissue Culture plate </td>
 <td>VWR</td>
 <td>73520-906</td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
 <td>Stainless steel disposable sterile scalpels (2), blade No#15, Miltex</td>
 <td>VWR</td>
 <td>21909-660</td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
 <td>Sterile pointed-tip forceps</td>
 <td>&nbsp;</td>
 <td>&nbsp;</td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
 <td>50 mL Conical tubes</td>
 <td>VWR</td>
 <td>21008-940</td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
 <td>2 mL Serological Pipettes</td>
 <td>VWR</td>
 <td>89130-894</td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
 <td>5 mL Serological Pipettes</td>
 <td>VWR</td>
 <td>89130-896</td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
 <td>10 mL Serological Pipettes</td>
 <td>VWR</td>
 <td>89130-898</td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
 <td>Pasteur Pipettes</td>
 <td>VWR</td>
 <td>14672-380</td>
 </tr>
 </tbody>
</table>
Table A. Table of specific reagents and equipments.
 <table border="1">
 <tbody>
 <tr>
 <td>Name of Reagent</td>
 <td>Company </td>
 <td>Catalogue Number</td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
 <td>1X DMEM: High Glucose</td>
 <td>Invitrogen/Gibco</td>
 <td>11960-069</td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
 <td>20% Fetal Bovine Serum</td>
 <td>Invitrogen/Gibco</td>
 <td>26140-079</td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
 <td>1X L-Glutamine</td>
 <td>Invitrogen/Gibco</td>
 <td>25030-164</td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
 <td>1X MEM Non-essential Amino Acids </td>
 <td>Invitrogen/Gibco</td>
 <td>11140-076</td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
 <td>1X Penicillin/Streptomycin</td>
 <td>Invitrogen/Gibco</td>
 <td>15140-163</td>
 </tr>
 </tbody>
 </table>
Table B. Reagents.

skin punch biopsy explant culture for derivation of primary human fibroblasts

Tissues and cell lines derived from an individual with disease are ideal sources to study disease-related cellular phenotypes. Patient-derived fibroblasts in this protocol have been successfully used in the derivation of induced pluripotent stem cells to model disease1. Early passages of these fibroblasts can also be used for cell-based functional assays to study specific disease pathways, mechanisms2 and subsequent drug screening approaches. The advantage of the presented protocol over enzymatic procedures are 1) the reproducibility of the technique from small amounts of tissue derived from older patients, e.g. patients affected with Parkinson's disease, 2) the technically simple approach over more challenging methodologies using enzymatic treatments, and 3) the time consideration: this protocol takes 15-20 min and can be performed immediately after biopsy arrival. Enzymatic treatments can take up to 4 hr and have the problems of overdigestion, reduction of cell viability and subsequent attachment of cells when not handled properly. This protocol describes the dissection and preparation of a 4-mm human skin biopsy for derivation of a fibroblast culture and has a very high success rate which is important when dealing with patient-derived tissue samples. In this culture, keratinocytes migrate out of the biopsy tissue within the first week after preparation. Fibroblasts appear 7-10 days after the first outgrowth of keratinocytes. DMEM high glucose media supplemented with 20% FBS favors the growth of fibroblasts over keratinocytes and fibroblasts will overgrow the keratinocytes. After 2 passages keratinocytes have been diluted out resulting in relatively homogenous fibroblast cultures which expresses the fibroblast marker SERPINH1 (HSP-47). Using this approach, 15-20 million fibroblasts can be derived in 4-8 weeks for cell banking. The skin dissection takes about 15-20 min, cells are then monitored once a day under the microscope, and media is changed every 2-3 days after attachment and outgrowth of cells.

Keratinocytes growing out of the biopsy pieces as soon as 48 hr after dissection. First fibroblasts outgrowth can be observed about one week after processing. Once the wells have reached confluency, fibroblasts are passaged for two more passages to reach three 150 cm flasks (T150) and cells are cryopreserved. We generate with this method 15-20 million cells. The fibroblasts are positive for anti-SERPINH1 (also known as HSP-47) (Figure 1), which is a collagen-specific molecular chaperone localized in the...

Watch this Scientific Journal Video about Skin Punch Biopsy Explant Culture for Derivation of Primary Human Fibroblasts at JoVE.com

Skin Punch Biopsy Explant Culture for Derivation of Primary Human Fibroblasts

The fibroblast explant culture protocol from human skin punch biopsies is a technically robust and simple way to derive skin cells within 4-8 weeks for banking of about 15-20 million cells at a low passage number.

Tissues and cell lines derived from an individual with disease are ideal sources to study disease-related cellular phenotypes. Patient-derived fibroblasts ...

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40.6K Views.  The Parkinson's Institute. The fibroblast explant culture protocol from human skin punch biopsies is a technically robust and simple way to derive skin cells within 4-8 weeks for banking of about 15-20 million cells at a low passage number.