Abstract
Today, none of the wound dressings available on the market is fully capable of reproducing all the features of native skin. Herein, an asymmetric electrospun membrane was produced to mimic both layers of skin. It comprises a top dense layer (manufactured with polycaprolactone) that was designed to provide mechanical support to the wound and a bottom porous layer (composed of chitosan and Aloe Vera) aimed to improve the bactericidal activity of the membrane and ultimately the healing process. The results obtained revealed that the produced asymmetric membranes displayed a porosity, wettability, as well as mechanical properties similar to those presented by the native skin. Fibroblast cells were able to adhere, spread, and proliferate on the surface of the membranes and the intrinsic structure of the two layers of the membrane is capable of avoiding the invasion of microorganisms while conferring bioactive properties. Such data reveals the potential of these asymmetric membranes, in the near future, to be applied as wound dressings.
Highlights
IntroductionAutologous skin grafting remains the “gold standard” treatment used in the clinic
Skin structure and functions are often compromised by traumatic events or chronic wounds [1,2,3,4].When a large area of skin is lost, the immediate coverage of the wound is mandatory for avoiding water/blood losses, for preventing bacterial invasion, as well as decreasing the pain felt by patients [5].Currently, autologous skin grafting remains the “gold standard” treatment used in the clinic.this approach cannot always be used due to the extent of the wound, limited availability of donor sites, scar formation, slow healing, and patient morbidity
When asymmetric membranes are aimed to be used as wound dressings, they are conceived with a dense top layer, that can protect the wound from physical damage and infection, and a porous and hydrophilic inner layer capable of absorbing the wound exudate and providing a 3D architecture that enables cell adhesion and proliferation [44]
Summary
Autologous skin grafting remains the “gold standard” treatment used in the clinic This approach cannot always be used due to the extent of the wound, limited availability of donor sites, scar formation, slow healing, and patient morbidity. Allogeneic and xenogeneic skin grafts are alternative therapeutic approaches that have been used, their application has associated risks of immune rejection, disease transmission, and limited availability of skin bank collection [6,7]. To overcome these limitations, researchers have developed different skin substitutes, some of them used in the clinic. None of these skin substitutes is fully capable of reestablishing the native structure and functions of skin [8,9]
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