Current issues regarding skin substitutes using living cells as industrial materials

Area of Science:

• Regenerative Medicine
• Tissue Engineering
• Dermatology

Background:

• The clinical application of cultured epidermis for skin treatment began in 1975.
• Cultured epidermis enables the creation of artificial skin from autologous cells for permanent wound coverage.
• Various living-cell-based skin substitutes are currently in clinical use.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review current issues and advancements in living-cell-based skin substitutes.
• To discuss the clinical integration of established skin substitute techniques.
• To highlight the transition of skin substitute technologies from research to commercial medical materials.

Main Methods:

• Review of clinical cases and established techniques in cultured skin substitutes.
• Analysis of the current status of skin substitutes like cultured epidermis, cultured dermis, and skin equivalents.
• Discussion on the controversial aspects of incorporating basic research findings into general medical practice.

Main Results:

• Cultured epidermis, cultured dermis, and skin equivalents are established skin substitutes.
• Some advanced skin substitute techniques are progressing towards commercialization as medical materials.
• The widespread adoption of these techniques into general medical treatment remains a subject of debate.

Conclusions:

• Living-cell-based skin substitutes represent significant progress in wound treatment.
• Established techniques like cultured epidermis are available, with newer ones nearing commercialization.
• Further evaluation is needed to determine the extent to which these advanced cellular therapies can be integrated into routine clinical practice.