Tag: burns
Researchers Grow Skin Tissue in Preclinical Study
by andreas on Dec.02, 2009, under general research
Researchers from France and Spain have succeeded in growing complete human skin epidermis from skin-derived stem cells on laboratory mice. The finding could lead to the rapid production of one’s own skin patches for people with burns and other severe skin problems.
From the Lancet:
Background
Cell therapy for large burns is dependent upon autologous epidermis reconstructed in vitro. However, the effectiveness of current procedures is limited by the delay needed to culture the patient’s own keratinocytes. To assess whether the keratinocyte progeny of human embryonic stem cells (hESCs) could be used to form a temporary skin substitute for use in patients awaiting autologous grafts, we investigated the cells’ capability of constructing a pluristratified epidermis.
Methods
hESCs from lines H9 and SA01 were seeded at least in triplicate on fibroblast feeder cells for 40 days in a medium supplemented with bone morphogenetic protein 4 and ascorbic acid. Molecular characterisation of cell differentiation was done throughout the process by quantitative PCR, fluorescence-activated cell sorting, and immunocytochemical techniques. Keratinocyte molecular differentiation and functional capacity to construct a human epidermis were assessed in vitro and in vivo.
