[Construction and clinical application of tissue engineered epidermal membrane]

Area of Science:

• Biomaterials Science
• Tissue Engineering
• Dermatology

Background:

• Skin graft donor sites present a significant clinical challenge for wound healing.
• Hypertrophic scarring is a common complication following skin grafting procedures.
• Developing advanced wound coverings is crucial for improving patient outcomes.

Purpose of the Study:

• To construct a tissue-engineered epidermal membrane for promoting the healing of clinical skin graft donor site wounds.
• To evaluate the efficacy of the engineered membrane in accelerating wound closure and reducing scar formation.

Main Methods:

• Cultured human epidermal cells (EC) were combined with a Chitosan-Gelatin (CG) membrane to create an engineered epidermal membrane (EC-CG).
• The EC-CG membrane was grafted onto split-skin graft donor sites in a clinical study, with control (CG membrane only) and blank (vaseline gauze) groups.
• Wound healing and scar formation were assessed using gross observation, histology, immunohistochemistry, collagen ratio analysis, and RT-PCR.

Main Results:

• The engineered EC-CG membrane successfully promoted wound healing, with an average healing time of 8.1 days compared to 16.2 days (control) and 23.0 days (blank).
• Histological analysis confirmed normal structure and survival of the artificial epidermis in vivo.
• Significantly reduced hypertrophic scar development was observed in the EC-CG treated group (20.0%) compared to the blank group (74.4%) at 90 days (P < 0.01).

Conclusions:

• The constructed EC-CG membrane is viable for in vitro construction and in vivo survival.
• This tissue-engineered epidermal membrane demonstrates significant clinical utility in accelerating skin graft donor site wound healing.
• The EC-CG membrane effectively inhibits hypertrophic scar formation, presenting a valuable therapeutic option.