[Construction of an in vitro equivalent of the pigmented skin].
OBJECTIVE
To construct an in vitro equivalent of the pigmented skin using tissue engineering methods.


METHODS
Surgically removed foreskins was used as the source of keratinocytes and melanocytes harvested by routine tissue digestion. The fibroblasts were enriched by tissue block culture and seeded into the scaffold constructed using mouse tail collagens to construct the pigmented skin equivalent model. The general structure and the melanocyte distribution and growth status in this model were observed with HE staining and Fontana Masson staining. The ultrastructure of the constructed pigmented skin equivalent was observed by transmission electron microscope.


CONCLUSIONS
The pigmented skin equivalent model was structurally intact, and allowed optimal cell growth. Fontana Masson staining identified in the basal layer numerous melanocytes in normal growth, and the constructed model was structurally similar to normal skin tissue, suggesting successful construction of the pigmented skin equivalent model.
Yang
Zhuang-qun
ZQ
Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Plastic Surgery, Stomatological Hospital, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an 710004, China. yzhqun@mail.xjtu.edu.cn
Wang
Zheng-hui
ZH
Tu
Jun-bo
JB
Zhang
Tie-liang
TL
Hu
Xiao-yi
XY
Li
Guo-guang
GG
Song
Yong
Y
D000818:Animals; D052816:Foreskin / Q000166:cytology; D006801:Humans; D015603:Keratinocytes / Q000166:cytology; D008297:Male; D008544:Melanocytes / Q000166:cytology; D051379:Mice; D012880:Skin Pigmentation; D017768:Skin, Artificial; D023822:Tissue Engineering / Q000379:methods*