title: Differences in dermal analogs influence subsequent pigmentation, epidermal differentiation, basement membrane, and rete ridge formation of transplanted composite skin grafts.
abstract: This study evaluated the in vitro and in vivo function of composite skin equivalents based on two different dermal analogs. Keratinocytes derived from the same dark-skinned neonatal foreskins were seeded onto both acellular human dermis and fibroblast-contracted collagen gels. Each type of composite graft readily formed an epithelium in vitro. However, the undulating surface of the acellular dermis acted as a template and organized the seeded keratinocytes into a rete ridge-like pattern, whereas the smooth surface of the fibroblast-contracted collagen gels generated an epithelium with a linear basal layer. Moreover, when acellular dermis was used, the composite grafts demonstrated enhanced melanocyte proliferation. When transplanted to athymic mice, both composite grafts formed a fully differentiated human epidermis, but repigmentation of the grafts when acellular dermis was used was more extensive and only the epidermis on the fibroblast-contracted collagen gels showed signs of hyperproliferation at 6 weeks after grafting. These results demonstrate that the type of dermal analog incorporated into a composite skin graft can influence the subsequent functionality of the skin substitute.
authors.affiliation: Surgical Services, Massachusetts General Hospital, and the Shriners Burns Institute, Boston 02114, USA.
authors.forename: D A
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Medalie
authors.forename: S A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Eming
authors.forename: M E
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Collins
authors.forename: R G
authors.initials: RG
authors.lastname: Tompkins
authors.forename: M L
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Yarmush
authors.forename: J R
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Morgan
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001485:Basement Membrane / Q000166:cytology; D002454:Cell Differentiation / Q000502:physiology; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D003094:Collagen / Q000032:analysis; D000078404:Epidermal Cells; D004817:Epidermis / Q000737:chemistry; D004847:Epithelial Cells; D005782:Gels; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D015603:Keratinocytes / Q000166:cytology; D007633:Keratins / Q000096:biosynthesis; D008297:Male; D008544:Melanocytes / Q000166:cytology; D051379:Mice; D008819:Mice, Nude; D012867:Skin / Q000737:chemistry / Q000166:cytology*; D012880:Skin Pigmentation / Q000502:physiology*; D016038:Skin Transplantation; D013194:Staining and Labeling
chemical_list: D005782:Gels; D007633:Keratins; D003094:Collagen