[Study on repair of full-thickness skin defect with collagen-chitosan dermal stent in pigs].
OBJECTIVE
To investigate angiogenesis of collagen-chitosan porous scaffold, and to study survive of skin grafts on the scaffold after bilayer dermal equivalent (BDE) was transplanted on wounds with full thickness skin defects.


METHODS
The full thickness skin defects were made on 10 Bama miniature pigs and the BDE composed of collagen-chitosan porous scaffold and silicone membrane was transplanted on wound. Angiogenesis in dermal equivalent, wound healing, and healing and survive of skin grafts on dermal equivalent were observed in 1, 2, and 3 weeks after the BDE transplantation. At the same time, CD34 positive signals (neo-forming micro-vessels) were detected by immunohistochemical staining.


RESULTS
Inflammatory cells and fibroblasts infiltrated into dermal equivalent and a few new micro-vessels had been formed in 1 week after the BDE transplantation; neo-forming micro-vessels perpendicular to wound bed had increased significantly in 2 weeks after the BDE transplantation; neo-forming micro-vessels could be observed in almost all dermal equivalents in 3 weeks after the BDE transplantation. CD34 positive signals (neo-forming micro-vessels) in 3 weeks after the BDE transplantation was much more than those in 2 weeks after the BDE transplantation, and CD34 positive signals in 2 weeks after the BDE transplantation was much more than those in 1 week after the BDE transplantation. Survival rate of intermediate split thickness skin graft were 10%, 70% and 100% respectively after the skin grafts had been grafted for 2 weeks on surface of the scaffold which had been transplanted for 1, 2 and 3 weeks. Epidermis which had been grafted on surface of the scaffold for 1 or 2 weeks could perfectly survive after BDE had been transplanted for 1 or 2 weeks.


CONCLUSIONS
Collagen-chitosan porous scaffold plays a very important role in wound healing of full thickness skin defect and can induce fibroblast infiltration and new micro-vessel formation. Epidermis grafted on surface of collagen-chitosan porous scaffold can perfectly repair wounds, and it has brilliant applied prospects in repairing skin defect.
Xu
Shao-Jun
SJ
Department of Plastic Surgery, the Affiliated Hospital of Hangzhou Normal University, Hangzhou 310015, China. shaojunxu5@yahoo.com.cn
Huang
Ai-Bin
AB
Ma
Lie
L
Teng
Jian-Ying
JY
Ni
You-di
YD
Gao
Chang-You
CY
Zhang
Zhi-Liang
ZL
DU
Qing-Hua
QH
Dong
Zheng-Cheng
ZC
D000818:Animals; D048271:Chitosan; D003094:Collagen; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D005260:Female; D006085:Graft Survival; D018919:Neovascularization, Physiologic; D012828:Silicones; D012867:Skin / Q000293:injuries; D016038:Skin Transplantation; D013552:Swine; D013556:Swine, Miniature; D054457:Tissue Scaffolds; D014945:Wound Healing
D012828:Silicones; D003094:Collagen; D048271:Chitosan