Using swept-source optical coherence tomography to monitor the formation of neo-epidermis in tissue-engineered skin.
There is an increasing need for a robust, simple to use, non-invasive imaging technology to follow tissue-engineered constructs as they develop. Our aim was to evaluate the use of swept-source optical coherence tomography (SS-OCT) to image tissue-engineered skin as it developed over several weeks. Tissue-engineered skin was produced using both de-epithelialized acellular dermis (DED) and amorphous collagen gels. In both cases the epidermis could be readily distinguished from the neodermis, based on a comparison with standard destructive histology of samples. Constructs produced with DED showed more epidermal/dermal maturation than those produced using collagen. The development of tissue-engineered skin based on DED was accurately monitored with SS-OCT over 3 weeks and confirmed with conventional histology.
Smith
Louise E
LE
Tissue Engineering Group, Kroto Research Institute, University of Sheffield, UK.
Bonesi
Marco
M
Smallwood
Rod
R
Matcher
Stephen J
SJ
MacNeil
Sheila
S
D000818:Animals; D004817:Epidermis / Q000254:growth & development*; D004848:Epithelium / Q000254:growth & development; D006801:Humans; D051381:Rats; D017768:Skin, Artificial; D013997:Time Factors; D023822:Tissue Engineering / Q000379:methods*; D041623:Tomography, Optical Coherence / Q000379:methods*