A simplified fabrication technique for cellularized high-collagen dermal equivalents

Area of Science:

• Biomaterials Science
• Tissue Engineering
• Regenerative Medicine

Background:

• Human autologous bioengineered skin is increasingly used for treating skin injuries.
• Current fabrication involves plastic compression of collagen hydrogel, requiring improvements in standardization and automation for wider clinical adoption.

Purpose of the Study:

• To present a simplified, one-step mixing technique for fabricating stable dermal equivalents using highly concentrated collagen and human fibroblasts.
• To reduce fabrication steps and production time for bioengineered skin compared to traditional methods.

Main Methods:

• A novel one-step mixing technique combining highly concentrated collagen and human fibroblasts was developed.
• Cellularized dermal equivalents were fabricated using this technique and compared to controls prepared with varying collagen compositions.
• Characterization focused on stability, pliability, and fibroblast distribution.

Main Results:

• The simplified technique produced stable and pliable dermal equivalents with uniform fibroblast distribution.
• These engineered skin tissues were comparable to those produced by manual methods using highly concentrated collagen gels.
• The one-step process eliminated the need for subsequent plastic compression, significantly reducing fabrication steps and time.

Conclusions:

• The one-step mixing technique offers a simplified and efficient method for producing stable bioengineered skin.
• This approach has significant potential for optimizing the clinical production of dermal equivalents.
• Further research can build upon this technique to enhance bioengineered skin fabrication for clinical applications.