Tissue-engineered skin substitutes: from in vitro constructs to in vivo applications

The field of skin tissue engineering is a paradigm for the various efforts towards the reconstruction of other tissues and organ substitutes. As skin replacement, this biotechnological approach has evolved from simple cultured autologous epidermal sheets to more complex bilayered cutaneous substitutes. The various types of such substitutes are herein presented with their intended use. However, two integrative characteristics are analysed more specifically because of their critical role: neovascularization and re-innervation. Furthermore, the in vitro use of these various skin substitutes has shed light on various physiological and pathological phenomena. Thus, not only the in vivo application of these skin substitutes as grafts, but also their in vitro value as skin models, are presented.