Determination of biocompatibility and cytotoxicity is part of the initial evaluation of medical devices stipulated by ISO standards on biological evaluation of medical devices. Cell culture systems for testing biological reactions to drugs, biomaterials or treatment techniques used in various disciplines have been gaining importance. A wide variety of cell lines are commonly used: cultured fibroblasts from human skin, buccal mucosa, periodontal membrane or embryonic lung; epithelial and HeLa cells; cultures of human keratinocytes and HaCaT cells; different murine cell lines (C3H-L, Balb/c 3T3, L929 and others) as well as murine cells cultured from liver and spleen; T lymphocytes from lymph nodes and macrophages obtained by lavage. All these cells are suitable for the use in biocompatibility tests. Nevertheless, the general opinion is that cytotoxicity tests in vitro will be more convincing when performed with cells that are homologous with the human tissue concerned. In accordance, appropriate cell lines for the use in cytotoxicity and tolerance tests concerning the skin would be human dermal fibroblasts and human epidermal keratinocytes, as they take an active part in the immune response, inflammatory processes and wound healing.

Keywords:
Biocompatibility, Cell proliferation, Cytotoxicity, Fibroblasts, Keratinocytes
This content is only available via PDF.
© 2009 S. Karger AG, Basel
2009
Copyright / Drug Dosage / Disclaimer
Copyright: All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be translated into other languages, reproduced or utilized in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, microcopying, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher.
Drug Dosage: The authors and the publisher have exerted every effort to ensure that drug selection and dosage set forth in this text are in accord with current recommendations and practice at the time of publication. However, in view of ongoing research, changes in government regulations, and the constant flow of information relating to drug therapy and drug reactions, the reader is urged to check the package insert for each drug for any changes in indications and dosage and for added warnings and precautions. This is particularly important when the recommended agent is a new and/or infrequently employed drug.
Disclaimer: The statements, opinions and data contained in this publication are solely those of the individual authors and contributors and not of the publishers and the editor(s). The appearance of advertisements or/and product references in the publication is not a warranty, endorsement, or approval of the products or services advertised or of their effectiveness, quality or safety. The publisher and the editor(s) disclaim responsibility for any injury to persons or property resulting from any ideas, methods, instructions or products referred to in the content or advertisements.
You do not currently have access to this content.