title: Evaluation of cryopreserved donor skin viability: the experience of the regional tissue bank of Verona.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Allogeneic human skin removed from cadaveric donors is the covering of choice for deep burns, since it accelerates the re-epithelialisation of autologous skin. In this study we evaluated the cellular viability of cryopreserved skin at the regional tissue bank of Verona (Italy).
  
  
  METHODS
  From 1st June 2007 to 30th September 2007, tests of cutaneous cell viability were carried out on 21 consecutive skin donors using the MTT (tetrazolium salt) method on samples prior to freezing and on thawed samples after a period of cryopreservation.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The mean percentage viability was 45.1% (+/-20.1%), which is similar to results obtained in other tissue banks. It was noted that viability decreased with increasing age of the donor.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The results of the evaluation of cutaneous cell viability document the validity of the skin cryopreservation procedure in use at the tissue bank in Verona.
authors.affiliation: Servizio di Immunoematologia e Medicina Trasfusionale, Dipartimento di Patologia e Medicina di Laboratorio, Azienda Ospedaliero - Universitaria di Parma, Parma, Italy. mfranchini@ao.pr.it
authors.forename: Massimo
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Franchini
authors.forename: Daniela
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Zanini
authors.forename: Adelia
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bosinelli
authors.forename: Silvia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Fiorini
authors.forename: Sandra
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Rizzi
authors.forename: Chiara
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: D'Aloja
authors.forename: Aurora
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Vassanelli
authors.forename: Giorgio
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Gandini
authors.forename: Giuseppe
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Aprili
mesh_terms: D000465:Algorithms; D002056:Burns / Q000601:surgery*; D002102:Cadaver; D002470:Cell Survival; D015925:Cryopreservation / Q000379:methods; D006801:Humans; D007202:Indicators and Reagents / Q000493:pharmacokinetics; D007558:Italy; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012867:Skin; D016038:Skin Transplantation; D013778:Tetrazolium Salts; D014015:Tissue Banks; D014021:Tissue Preservation / Q000379:methods; D014184:Transplantation, Homologous
chemical_list: D007202:Indicators and Reagents; D013778:Tetrazolium Salts