Objective To evaluate the effect of tissue engineered skin with isogeneic cells on repairing skin defects in inbred rat model so as to provide relevant evidences for the clinical application. Methods The skins of newborn inbred F344 rats were harvested and treated with Dispase trypsin to isolate the epidermal cells. The skins of adult Sprague Dawley rats were obtained and treated with hypertonic sodium-SDS-trypsin to prepare the acellular dermal matrix. The tissue engineered skin was reconstructed by submerging culturing and air-liquid interface culturing in vitro. The full-thickness skin defects of 1.5 cm × 1.5 cm in size were prepared along the dorsal both sides of 36 adult inbred F344 rats, and 72 defects were repaired with tissue engineered skin in experimental group (n=24), with allogeneic acellular dermal matrix in negative control group (n=24), and with autologous full-thickness skin in positive control group (n=24). Finally the gross observation, the survival rate, wound contraction rate, and histological observation were used to evaluate the effect. Results The wound healed by first intension at 4 weeks postoperatively in the experimental group; the grafts connected with the adjacent tissue tightly and had normal appearance. At 4 weeks after operation, the survival rate of the graft was 0 in the negative control group; the survival rates were 62.5% (15/24) in the experimental group and 91.7% (22/24) in the positive control group, showing significant difference between 2 groups (χ2=5.779, P=0.016). The wound contraction rates of the experimental group and positive control group were significantly lower than that of the negative control group (P lt; 0.05), but no significant difference was found between the experimental group and positive control group (P gt; 0.05). Histological observation showed that slight inflammation reaction appeared at 1 week postoperatively in the experimental group; the regeneration of the blood vessel and the proliferation of the fibroblasts in dermis and the gradual maturation of epidermis were observed at 2 weeks, and new collagen deposition and collagen remodeling in the dermis of the graft were found at 4 weeks postoperatively. Conclusion The tissue engineered skin is able to repair full-thickness skin defect of rats effectively, it has similar effect to the autologous full-thickness skin in preventing the wound contraction and promoting the wound healing, which provides experimental evidences for the clinical application.
Objective To compare the effect of the composite skin graft consisting of spl it-thickness skin grafts (STSGs) and porcine acellular dermal matrix (PADM) with STSGs only, and to histologically observe the turnover of the PADM in rats. Methods Twenty female Sprague-Dawley rats, weighing 200-225 g, were included. The size of 4.0 cm × 2.5 cm PADM was implanted into hypoderm of the left side of Sprague-Dawley rats’ back. After 10-14 days, the size of 4.0 cm × 2.5 cm full-thickness skin defects were made on the left to expose the PADM under the skin and the same size of full-thickness skin defects were made on the right of the rats’ back. The excised full-thickness skin was made to STSGs about 0.2 mm by drum dermatome. The defects were grafted with composite skin (STSGs on the PADM, experimental group) and STSGs only (control group). The survival rate, the constraction degree of grafts, and the histological change in grafts area were observed at 2, 4, 8, and 20 weeks after operation. Results At 2 weeks after STSGs (0.2 mm) placed on vascularized PADM, STSGs and PADM adhered together and the composite skin had a good survival. The control group also had a good survival. Histological observations showed that STSGs and PADM grew together, neutrophil ic granulocytes and lymphocytes infiltrated in the PADM and some macrophages around the PADM. Fibrous connective tissues were filled under the STSGs in control group. At 4-8 weeks after transplantation, the composite skin had a good survival and the composite skin was thick, soft, and elastic. STSGs survived almost totally in control group, but the grafts were thin. Histological observations showed that inflammatory reactions of PADM faded gradually in experimental group; scar tissues formed under the STSGs in control group. At 20 weeks after transplantation, composite skin was flat, thick, and elastic in experimental group, but the STSGs were thinner and less elastic in control group. Histological observations showed that histological structures of the PADM were similar to the dermal matrix of rats, and the results showed that the collagen matrix of PADM was gradually replaced by the rats’ collagen matrix. Scar tissues were filled under the STSGs in control group. Wound heal ing rates of experimental group were lower than those of control group at 4 and 8 weeks (P﹤0.05); wound contraction rates of experimental group had lower tendency than those of control group, but showing no significant differences (P gt; 0.05). Conclusion Coverage wound with composite skin which composed of STSGs and PADM could improve wound heal ing qual ity; the composite skin is thicker and better elastic than STSGs only. The collagen matrix of PADM is gradually replaced by rats’ collagen matrix.
Objective Human acellular amniotic membrane (HAAM) contains collagens, glucoproteins, proteinpolysaccharide,integrin, and lamellar, which can supply rich nutrition to cell prol iferation and differentiation. To explore the possibil ity of HAAM with adi pose-derived stem cells (ADSCs) as a good engineered skin substitute for repairing skin defect. Methods Primary ADSCs were obtained from inguinal fat of 30 healthy 4-month-old SD rats, male or female, weighing 250-300 g, and cultured in vitro and purified. The 3rd passage ADSCs were used to detect CD44, CD49d and CD34 by immunocytochemistry staining. After physical and trypsin preparation, the HAAM was observed by HE staining and scanning electron microscope(SEM) respectively. ADSCs were seeded on epithel ial side of HAAM at the density of 2 × 105/cm2, cocultured, and observed by SEM at different time. MTT test was used to detect viabil ity of cells that seeded on HAAM, the group without HAAM was used as control. Thirty SD rats were made models of full-thickness skin wound and randomly divided into three groups (A, B, and C). Wound was repaired with HAAM/ADSCs composites in group A, with HAAM in group B, and with gauze as control in group C. The rats underwent postoperative assessment of wound heal ing rate and histological observation at the 1st, 2nd, and 4th weeks. Results HE staining showed that the 3rd passage ADSCs was spindle-shaped with an ovoid nucleus which located in the middle of cell; the immunocytochemistry staining showed positive result for CD44 and CD49d and negative result for CD34. There were no residues of cells in the HAAM by HE staining. SEM showed that there were different structures at the two sides of HAAM；one side had compact reticular structure and the other side had fibrous structure. After 3 days of co-culture, ADSCs showed good growth on HAAM; the cells were closely packed onto the HAAM, attached firmly and prol iferated to confluence on the stromal surface of HAAM. MTT test showed that the cells on the HAAM grew well and had b prol iferation vital ity. There was no significant difference between ADSCs cultured in the HAAM and control group (P gt; 0.05). One, 2, 4 weeks after graft, there were significant differences in wound heal ing rate between group A and groups B, C (P lt; 0.05), between group B and group C (P lt; 0.05). HE staining showed that wound healed faster in group A than in groups B, C. Cytokeratin 19 (CK19) immunohistochemical statining showed that there were more CK19 positive cells in group A than in groups B, C. Conclusion The graft of HAAM with ADSCs plays an effective role in promoting the repair of full-thickness skin wound