title: Use of autologous epithelium transplantation on various scaffolds to cover tissue loss in oral cavity: long-term observation.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The aim of this study was to investigate the application of mucous membrane keratinocyte cultures on amniotic membrane and on poly(L-lactic acid) (PLLA) Purasorb PL38 to cover tissue loss in the oral cavity. Developments in molecular biology techniques and tissue engineering allow the culturing and identification of cells that can be anchored in the wound to achieve integrity of the tissue. Transplantation of tissues obtained from the patient's own cells is superior to allogenous transplantation where there is a possibility of transfection, rejection and the need for long-term immunosuppression.
  
  
  METHODS
  In 9 patients (15 procedures) keratinocytes cultured on amniotic membrane and PLLA were transplanted to cover antro-oral fistulas and bone loss after osteoradionecrosis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In all 6 patients with outlasting antro-oral fistulas, the defects were healed. In 3 patients with 5 cases of tissue loss after osteoradionecrosis, we obtained healing of the wound in only 1 case. Histological examination of the cultures indicated that cultured cells formed well-differentiated layers, very similar to the keratinocytes of mucous membranes, although those seeded on amniotic membrane formed a single layer of cells, while those seeded on the PLLA scaffold were arranged on 2 or more layers: these differences were shown to be statistically significant with a morphometric analysis.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Autologous transplants of epithelium cultured on amniotic membrane and PLLA constitute a new and effective way of covering nonhealing tissue loss in the oral cavity in chosen cases, using modern methods of tissue engineering.
authors: Department of Cranio-Maxillofacial Surgery, Medical University of Silesia, Katowice - Poland.
authors: Bogusława
authors: B
authors: Orzechowska-Wylęgała
authors: Department of Ophthalmology, Santa Barbara Hospital, Sosnowiec - Poland.
authors: Dariusz
authors: D
authors: Dobrowolski
authors: Department of Biomorphology and Biotechnologies, University of Messina, Messina - Italy.
authors: Domenico
authors: D
authors: Puzzolo
authors: Department of Ophthalmology, Railway Hospital, Medical University of Silesia, Katowice - Poland.
authors: Bogumił
authors: B
authors: Wowra
authors: Faculty of Chemistry of the Jagiellonian University, Kraków - Poland.
authors: Wiktor
authors: W
authors: Niemiec
authors: Department of Ophthalmology, Santa Barbara Hospital, Sosnowiec - Poland.
authors: Adam
authors: A
authors: Wylęgała
authors: Faculty of Chemistry of the Jagiellonian University, Kraków - Poland.
authors: Krzysztof
authors: K
authors: Szczubiałka
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D064592:Autografts; D018929:Cell Culture Techniques / Q000379:methods*; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015603:Keratinocytes / Q000637:transplantation*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009061:Mouth Mucosa / Q000637:transplantation*; D011832:Radiation Injuries / Q000628:therapy*