Creation of an acellular dermal matrix from frozen skin

At present, one of the treatments of choice for closure of full-thickness skin loss is to use a cultured epidermal autograft when skin loss is extensive. In this study, we investigated a simple method of processing frozen surplus skin to produce an acellular, structurally intact, dermal matrix. First, the acellular dermal matrix prepared from normal human skin (ADM) we processed was observed using a transmission electron microscope and a scanning electron microscope. The matrix maintained the basement membrane complex and the extracellular matrix structure of the dermis despite frozen skin being used. Next, using an animal model, we transplanted the ADM and Pelnac, which is used as a contrast in full-thickness wounds onto nude rats. The dermal matrix supported fibroblast infiltration and neovascularization. These results suggest that skin processed by our simple method has the potential to be used as a dermal template together with the cultured epidermis in the closure of full-thickness wounds.