Review of acellular and cellular artificial skins

Area of Science:

• Biomaterials Science
• Regenerative Medicine
• Tissue Engineering

Background:

• Development of bilayer acellular artificial skin by Yannas et al. inspired alternative approaches.
• Early versions of acellular artificial skin showed promise but required improvements.
• Existing artificial skin technologies presented challenges in disinfection, preservation, and cost.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and refine an alternative acellular artificial skin.
• To extend the clinical applications of artificial skin materials.
• To create a cellular artificial skin addressing limitations of two-stage surgeries.

Main Methods:

• Iterative improvements to acellular artificial skin for disinfection, preservation, and cost-effectiveness.
• Clinical evaluation of the latest acellular artificial skin version in multicenter trials.
• Development of a novel cellular artificial skin using cell culture techniques.

Main Results:

• Successful application of the original acellular artificial skin in 51 skin defects across 39 patients.
• Positive outcomes in multicenter clinical trials involving 80 cases with the latest acellular version.
• Development of an antibiotic-eluting material for infected wounds and a cellular artificial skin for single-stage procedures.

Conclusions:

• The developed acellular artificial skin offers a viable option for skin defect treatment with successful clinical outcomes.
• Continuous improvements have addressed drawbacks and reduced manufacturing costs.
• The introduction of cellular artificial skin presents a promising solution for complex surgical needs in skin regeneration.