Human skin preserved in anhydric sodium chloride for months can be successfully transplanted

Human skin can be preserved in pulverized sodium chloride dehydrated at 240C for 2 hours at room temperature for periods of weeks or months and successfully transplanted to scid mouse, retaining its normal morphological structure. Fragment of skin of a size of 10 x 10 x 6 mm were harvested during elective vascular and orthopaedic surgery of lower limbs, dried of blood and placed in anhydric sodium chloride powder in tight sealed containers. Prior to transplantation to scid mice, the specimens were desalinated and rehydrated. Specimes preserved for 1 to 6 months and harvested 3-4 weeks after transplantation revealed intensive incorporation of bromdeoxyuridine (BrdU) into basal keratinocytes. They expressed p63 and CD29 (stem cells, and transient cells antigens), PCNA (proliferating cell nuclear antigen) and cytokeratin 16 specific for proliferating keratinocytes. Dermal fibroblasts and few large HLA II cells showed a normal structure. Bacterial flora of skin did not change after grafting. We conclude that human skin can survive in a dehydrated state in sodium chloride for months and after transplantation the epidermal basal layer cells give rise to keratinocyte progenies. Skin fibroblasts and some resident immune cells can also survive.