A human full-skin culture system for interventional studies.
OBJECTIVE
Novel approaches to bridge the gap between clinical studies and experimental basic research of skin physiology are urgently needed. The aim of this study was to develop an effective surrogate model in which ex vivo full-thickness organ culture experiments may be performed.


METHODS
Human full skin from patients was placed into a stainless steel chamber and cultured at an air-liquid interphase for 4 weeks. Samples were evaluated every week by HE-staining and immunohistochemical characterization. Epidermal gene transfer kinetics was performed as an interventional study.


RESULTS
This ex vivo chamber model maintained the physiologic and histologic properties of the skin explants for 4 weeks. This indicated the model's acceptable ex vivo physiologic validity. No epidermolysis was observed, and both basal lamina and blood vessels were detected within all tissue samples. Transgene expression was demonstrated to be time dependent.


CONCLUSIONS
This model chamber presents a convenient, easy-to-use, and robust model in which ex vivo full-thickness organ culture experiments may be performed.
Steinstraesser
Lars
L
Department for Plastic Surgery, Burn Center, BG University Hospital Bergmannsheil, Ruhr University Bochum, Bochum, Germany.
Rittig
Andrea
A
Gevers
Kai
K
Sorkin
Michael
M
Hirsch
Tobias
T
Kesting
Marco
M
Sand
Michael
M
Al-Benna
Sammy
S
Langer
Stefan
S
Steinau
Hans-Ulrich
HU
Jacobsen
Frank
F