Abstract
Background. Human skin is needed for covering large body areas lost by trauma. The shortcomings of contemporary methods of skin storage are limited preservation time and high immunogenicity if allogeneic. Methods. We investigated whether long-lasting skin preservation in anhydrous sodium chloride (NaCl) may be the source of keratinocytes (KCs) for transplantation. Dehydrated skin fragments were preserved for a time frame from 1 week to 12 months. Then, skin fragments were rehydrated, and KCs were isolated. The viability of KCs was assessed in viability/cytotoxicity test. NaCl-preserved KCs were cultured for 7 days and transplanted to the dorsum of SCID mice. Results. The morphology of NaCl-preserved KCs was unaltered. KCs from all epidermal layers could be identified. All grafts were accepted by the recipients. Transplanted KCs: synthesized keratins 10 and 16 expressed antigens specific for stem cells and transient-amplifying cells, and remained HLA-I-positive. Moreover, they expressed the proliferative marker PCNA. Cells isolated from transplants remained viable and produced enzymes. Conclusions. Transplantation of KCs obtained from human skin and stored in anhydrous NaCl may be considered for the closure of extensive skin wounds. The originality of this method consists of an effective storage procedure and easy preparation of keratinocytes for transplantation.
Highlights
The need for human skin to cover large body areas lost by injury is fulfilled only in a small number of cases
Viability of KCs Isolated from Anhydrous NaCl-Preserved Skin
The viability of KCs isolated from skin preserved in anhydrous NaCl decreases with preservation time
Summary
The need for human skin to cover large body areas lost by injury is fulfilled only in a small number of cases This especially applies to regions where access to specialized health care is limited. The main currently applied methods of storage include: glycerol cryopreservation, vitrification, and storage in saline, RPMI, Ham, or DDEM at 4 degrees Celsius or room temperature [2] Such transplants, if allogeneic, are rejected due to their high immunogenicity. Transplantation of KCs obtained from human skin and stored in anhydrous NaCl may be considered for the closure of extensive skin wounds. The originality of this method consists of an effective storage procedure and easy preparation of keratinocytes for transplantation
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