Development and Characterization of an Engraftable Tissue-Cultured Skin Autograft: Alternative Treatment for Severe Electrical Injuries?

<b><i>Background/Aims:</i></b> Optimizing the treatment regimens of extensive or nonhealing defects is a constant challenge. Tissue-cultured skin autografts may be an alternative to mesh grafts and keratinocyte suspensions that are applied during surgical defect coverage. <b><i>Methods:</i></b> Autologous epidermal and dermal cells were isolated, in vitro expanded and seeded on collagen-elastin scaffolds. The developed autograft was immunohistochemically and electron microscopically characterized. Subsequently, it was transplanted onto lesions of a severely burned patient. <b><i>Results:</i></b> Comparability of the skin equivalent to healthy human skin could be shown due to the epidermal strata, differentiation, proliferation markers and development of characteristics of a functional basal lamina. Approximately 2 weeks after skin equivalent transplantation the emerging new skin correlated closely to the adjacent normal skin. <b><i>Conclusion:</i></b> The present study demonstrates the comparability of the developed organotypic skin equivalent to healthy human skin and its versatility for clinical applications.