Growth kinetics and collagen synthesis of normal skin, normal scar and keloid fibroblasts in vitro.

Fibroblasts were isolated from keloid, normal skin, and normal scar and maintained in tissue culture for four passages. Growth kinetics were the same for all groups on days 2 through 12. However, the rate of collagen synthesis per fibroblast was greater in keloid derived cells than any controls at all growth phases. Keloid fibroblasts have an autonomous capacity to synthesize collagen at a significantly increased level in vitro, which may explain in part why these lesions are characterized by increased collagen deposition.