Biomedical Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
Fig. 5.8
Kinetics of skin synthesis using two related protocols. A dermis-free defect in the swine
was grafted with keratinocyte-seeded dermis regeneration template (DRT). The histological
appearance of the regenerating skin is shown at 7, 14 and 20th day post-grafting with each proto-
col.
Left
: (photos
a
,
c
,
e
): Keratinocytes were cultured for 14 days before seeding into the porous
DRT as a single-cell suspension prior to grafting.
Right
: (photos
b
,
d
,
f
): Keratinocytes were dis-
sociated from skin biopsy, but not cultured, before seeding into DRT. A thicker epidermis and a
greater number of dermoepidermal undulations (rete ridges) resulted following seeding of DRT
with cultured keratinocytes. (Source: Butler et al. 1999a)
ferences in the morphology of skin regenerated after day 21 in the porcine model. In
this study autologous KC were isolated from split—thickness skin grafts and were
seeded into DRT by centrifugation at a density of 100,000 cells/cm
2
as practiced
earlier (Orgill 1983; Yannas et al. 1989). A fully-differentiated epidermis was syn-
thesized in all graft sites at day 14. However, the epidermis obtained with cultured
KC seeded in DRT was 180 μm thick and comprised 14 layers rather than being
110 μm thick with 9 cell layers, as observed with the uncultured KC. Epidermal
confluence at day 14 was 96 % for grafts with cultured KC and 50 % for uncultured
KC (Butler et al. 1999a). In an overview of the process of seeding autologous KC
into DRT it was pointed out, among others, that this protocol made use of very little
donor tissue (Butler and Orgill 2005). (Fig.
5.8
)
