[Clinical regenerative medicine: the skin]

Tissue engineering of skin is classified into acellular artificial skin and cellular artificial skin. Acellular artificial skin or artificial dermis, is composed of an inner collagen sponge and an outer silicone film. When placed on wounds, the collagen sponge is spontaneously converted into a dermis-like connective tissue. Addition of bFGF or cultured fibroblasts accelerates synthesis of the dermis-like tissue. Cultured epidermis often fails to take on a full-thickness skin defect because of lack of dermal component. Cultured skin with both epidermal and dermal components seems to be an ideal skin substitute, but its take rate is still low. Regeneration of complete skin with skin appendages, vascular networks, elastic fibers and so on is desired.