Tissue culture of human cholesteatomatous keratinocytes

The aim of this study was to culture keratinocytes from migratory skin and from cholesteatomatous matrix. At operation, cholesteatomatous matrix, normal drumhead and non-migratory stratifying skin from the extrameatal incision were obtained. Successful cultures of keratinocytes were produced in 4 out of 5 attempts. The cholesteatomatous keratinocytes produced slower growing colonies with an abnormal pattern of keratinization, whereas the drumhead produced rapidily growing colonies with a more regular pattern of keratinization, similar to those obtained from a vertically stratifying epidermis. This method may offer new fields of study in the investigation of cholesteatoma.