Background: The aim of the study was to establish melanocyte cultures obtained from the epidermis of vitiligo patients for future treatment and to estimate the influence of selected factors on the formation of suction blisters and the results of culture.
Material/methods: Twenty patients with generalized vitiligo were qualified to the study. The melanocyte donor site was the arm or forearm where, using an electric vacuum suction machine and a plastic plate, suction blisters were formed. The removed roofs of the blisters were used as a melanocyte source for culture establishment. After an enzymatic bath, the cell suspension was transferred to culture flasks containing melanocyte growth medium (MGM M2). The melanocytes in culture were identified by immunocytochemistry.
Results: Suction blisters were formed in all patients. No melanocyte cultures were established from patients whose blisters appeared over a period 58 minutes. In addition, a suitable quantity of melanocytes was not obtained for eight other patients (with skin phototype II and/or without previous PUVA therapy).
Conclusions: The epidermis of the arm and forearm is a good donor site for the establishment of melanocyte cultures. The effectiveness of culture depends mainly on the time of the formation of suction blisters, the phototype of the skin, and previous PUVA therapy.