Analysis of epidermal cell counts and close photographic scrutiny revealed that low-passage dermal papilla cells, closely followed by transformed dermal papilla cells, were conducive to the successful attachment and subsequent proliferation of epidermal cell populations under three different experimental protocols. In contrast, skin fibroblasts did not support epidermal cell growth under any circumstances.

These findings are particularly interesting in that they constitute a rare in vitro example of epidermal cells that are not only supported, but also encouraged to proliferate, by an actively dividing adult skin-derived dermal cell population.