title: Chimeric autologous/allogeneic constructs for skin regeneration.
abstract: The ideal treatment for severe cutaneous injuries would eliminate the need for autografts and promote fully functional, aesthetically pleasing autologous skin regeneration. NIKS progenitor cell-based skin tissues have been developed to promote healing by providing barrier function and delivering wound healing factors. Independently, a device has recently been created to "copy" skin by harvesting full-thickness microscopic tissue columns (MTCs) in lieu of autografts traditionally harvested as sheets. We evaluated the feasibility of combining these two technologies by embedding MTCs in NIKS-based skin tissues to generate chimeric autologous/allogeneic constructs. Chimeric constructs have the potential to provide immediate wound coverage, eliminate painful donor site wounds, and promote restoration of a pigmented skin tissue possessing hair follicles, sweat glands, and sebaceous glands. After MTC insertion, chimeric constructs and controls were reintroduced into air-interface culture and maintained in vitro for several weeks. Tissue viability, proliferative capacity, and morphology were evaluated after long-term culture. Our results confirmed successful MTC insertion and integration, and demonstrated the feasibility of generating chimeric autologous/allogeneic constructs that preserved the viability, proliferative capacity, and structure of autologous pigmented skin. These feasibility studies established the proof-of-principle necessary to further develop chimeric autologous/allogeneic constructs for the treatment of complex skin defects.
authors.affiliation: Stratatech Corporation, 505 S. Rosa Road, Suite 169, Madison, WI 53719.
authors.forename: Cathy Ann
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Rasmussen
authors.affiliation: Wellman Center for Photomedicine, Thier 204, Massachusetts General Hospital, 55 Fruit Street, Boston, MA 02114.
authors.forename: Joshua
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Tam
authors.affiliation: Stratatech Corporation, 505 S. Rosa Road, Suite 169, Madison, WI 53719.
authors.forename: Barry M
authors.initials: BM
authors.lastname: Steiglitz
authors.affiliation: Stratatech Corporation, 505 S. Rosa Road, Suite 169, Madison, WI 53719.
authors.forename: Rebecca L
authors.initials: RL
authors.lastname: Bauer
authors.affiliation: Stratatech Corporation, 505 S. Rosa Road, Suite 169, Madison, WI 53719.
authors.forename: Noel R
authors.initials: NR
authors.lastname: Peters
authors.affiliation: Wellman Center for Photomedicine, Thier 204, Massachusetts General Hospital, 55 Fruit Street, Boston, MA 02114.
authors.forename: Ying
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Wellman Center for Photomedicine, Thier 204, Massachusetts General Hospital, 55 Fruit Street, Boston, MA 02114.
authors.forename: R Rox
authors.initials: RR
authors.lastname: Anderson
authors.affiliation: Stratatech Corporation, 505 S. Rosa Road, Suite 169, Madison, WI 53719.
authors.forename: B Lynn
authors.initials: BL
authors.lastname: Allen-Hoffmann
mesh_terms: D049109:Cell Proliferation; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D002678:Chimera; D006801:Humans; D015603:Keratinocytes / Q000637:transplantation; D012038:Regeneration; D012879:Skin Physiological Phenomena; D016038:Skin Transplantation; D023822:Tissue Engineering / Q000379:methods*; D014022:Tissue Survival; D014182:Transplantation, Autologous; D014184:Transplantation, Homologous; D014945:Wound Healing