[Tissue engineering of skin].
OBJECTIVE
To review the recent progresses on tissue engineering of skin.


METHODS
Recent original articles about tissue engineering of skin were extensively reviewed, which focused on the progresses and major problems concerning the epidermal substitutes, dermal substitutes, cultured-epidermal composite skin graft.


RESULTS
Most investigators had come to conclusion that the optimal skin substitute should provide for immediate reconstruction of both the lost epidermis and dermis. The research was mainly focused on how to transplant epidermal cells immediately, preserve their activity and function, and develop the extracellular matrix which could effectively accelerate the function of transplanted cells, induce vascular growth from the wound bed, could be biodegradable, no toxicity and no danger of carrying pathogen.


CONCLUSIONS
The major research trends of tissue engineering of skin should be focused on the study of immediate transplantation of epidermal cells, accelerate wound healing and developing extracellular matrix of dermis.
Wang
Z M
ZM
Department of Plastic Surgery, Changhai Hospital, Second Military Medical University, Shanghai, P. R. China 200433.
Jiao
X Y
XY
Xing
X
X
D017690:Cell Transplantation; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D000078404:Epidermal Cells; D005109:Extracellular Matrix; D006801:Humans; D012867:Skin / Q000166:cytology*; D017768:Skin, Artificial; D023822:Tissue Engineering