Cultivation and characterisation of primary and subcultured equine keratinocytes.
Authors: Dahm A M, de Bruin A, Linat A, von Tscharner C, Wyder M, Suter M M
Journal: Equine veterinary journal
Summary
# Editorial Summary Understanding equine skin cell biology has long been hampered by the lack of reliable in vitro models; this research addresses that gap by successfully establishing and characterising primary keratinocyte cultures from equine lip epithelium, maintaining robust proliferative capacity through at least two passages. The team optimised culture conditions by growing primary cells on equine feeder layers initially, then switching subcultured keratinocytes to type I collagen substrate, which actually accelerated proliferation compared to feeder-layer cultures. Immunohistochemical and electron microscopy analysis confirmed the cells retained typical keratinocyte characteristics—expressing keratin and desmoplakin I/II whilst lacking keratin 10—and contamination by non-epithelial cells remained minimal as verified by vimentin staining. Because impaired wound healing represents a persistent clinical challenge in equine dermatology, having a validated model for studying keratinocyte behaviour opens the door to investigating the mechanisms underlying epidermal dysfunction and testing novel therapeutic approaches at the cellular level. For practitioners involved in wound management, this foundation may ultimately enable better evidence-based treatments for skin conditions that currently prove difficult to resolve.
Read the full abstract on PubMed
Practical Takeaways
- •This in vitro model enables laboratory investigation of equine skin biology and wound healing mechanisms, potentially leading to improved therapeutic approaches for chronic equine dermatological conditions
- •The characterization of equine keratinocyte behavior on different substrates may inform future development of bioengineered skin products or wound treatments specific to horses
- •Establishes a foundation for understanding equine-specific epidermal responses that differ from other species, relevant for developing targeted therapies for equine wound complications
Key Findings
- •Primary equine keratinocytes maintained high proliferative capacity up to second passage with improved attachment on equine feeder layers
- •Subcultured keratinocytes showed optimal growth on collagen type I substrate with proliferation rates exceeding those on feeder layers
- •Keratinocytes expressed keratin and desmoplakin I/II but lacked keratin 10, confirming epithelial differentiation state
- •First successful establishment of equine keratinocyte cultures from lip epithelium, providing foundation for studying equine skin biology and epidermal pathogenesis