Autologous Epidermal Cell Suspension Research Articles

A Randomized Controlled Study Comparing the Efficacy of Autologous Smashed Follicular Dermal Graft and Epidermal Cell Suspension versus Normal Saline Dressing in the Treatment of Chronic Nonhealing Trophic Ulcers in Patients with Hansen's Disease.

Trophic ulcers remain the most common reason for hospitalization in patients with Hansen's disease. With the introduction of new therapeutic regimens, leprosy can now be cured. However, complications of the disease, such as sensory loss, muscle palsy, absorption of extremities, and recurrent ulcers, still lead to substantial morbidity. The management of patients with trophic ulcers and their consequences is difficult, because it is a recurrent and recalcitrant problem. To evaluate the efficacy of autologous smashed follicular dermal graft and epidermal cell suspension (ECS) in the treatment of chronic nonhealing trophic ulcers in patients with Hansen's disease and to compare its efficacy with normal saline dressing. A total of 46 chronic nonhealing trophic ulcers were randomized into two groups (23 ulcers in each): Ulcers in Group A were treated with autologous smashed follicular dermal graft and ECS; ulcers in Group B were treated with normal saline dressings. Ulcers were assessed based on the rate of ulcer size reduction at every week till 12 weeks and then once a month till the sixth month. All 23 (100%) ulcers in Group A had healed within the study period of six months, whereas only 14 (60.9%) ulcers had healed in Group B. Nine (39.1%) ulcers in Group B had not healed even at the end of six months. All 23 (100%) ulcers in Group A had healed within eight weeks, which was statistically significant, P value <0.05. Trophic ulcers heal faster by autologous smashed follicular dermal graft and ECS, with good results of re-epithelialization of the ulcer bed than by normal saline dressing.

Intraepidermal Injections of Autologous Epidermal Cell Suspension: A new promising approach to Dermatological Disorders. Preliminary Study

Intraepidermal Injections of Autologous Epidermal Cell Suspension: A new promising approach to Dermatological Disorders. Preliminary Study

Comparative Study of Efficacy of Epidermal Melanocyte Transfer Versus Hair Follicular Melanocyte Transfer in Stable Vitiligo.

Background:Vitiligo surgery has come up a long way from punch skin grafts to epidermal cell suspension and latest to the extracted hair follicle outer root sheath cell suspension (EHFORSCS) transplantation. The progressive development from one technique to the other is always on a quest for the best. In the latest development, EHFORSCS, which is an enriched source of follicular inactive melanocyte (melanocyte stem cells), seems to be a good addition to the prevailing cell-based therapies for vitiligo. However, it needs to be explored further in larger, clinical trials.Methodology:A total of 11 patients with sixty stable vitiligo sites attending dermatology outpatient department were included for the open-labeled, prospective, comparative study. The sites were sequentially distributed into two groups of thirty each. Sites of one group were subjected to epidermal melanocyte transfer (EMT) and the others to hair follicular melanocyte transfer (HFMT). Response to treatment was evaluated on the basis of degree of repigmentation; final evaluation of area of involvement was done after completion of 6 months.Results:At the end of 6 months, repigmentation >90% was observed in 83.33% patches of EMT group and 43.33% in HFMT group. Repigmentation >75% was observed in 90% of patches in Group A and 43.34% of patches in Group B, respectively. There was statistically significant difference in the overall pigmentation between these two groups.Conclusion:Both noncultured autologous epidermal cell suspension transfer and noncultured EHFORSCS transfer are safe and effective surgical modalities in the management of stable vitiligo though EMT has shown a better response in the present study. Outer root sheath cell suspension transfer is a novel, minimally invasive technique in its nascent stage in the surgical management of vitiligo which requires further larger clinical trials for evaluation of its efficacy.

Autologous epidermal cell suspension: A promising treatment for chronic wounds

BackgroundChronic wounds have become an increasing medical and economic problem of aging societies because they are difficult to manage. Skin grafting is an important treatment method for chronic wounds, which are refractory to conservative therapy. The technique involving epidermal cell suspensions was invented to enable the possibility of treating larger wounds with only a small piece of donor skin. Both uncultured and cultured autologous epidermal cell suspensions can be prepared and survive permanently on the wound bed. MethodsA systematic search was conducted of EMBASE, Cochrane Library, PubMed and web of science by using Boolean search terms, from the establishment of the database until May 31, 2014. The bibliographies of all retrieved articles in English were searched. The search terms were: (epithelial cell suspension OR keratinocyte suspension) and chronic and wound. ResultsFrom the included, 6 studies are descriptive interventions and discussed the use of autologous keratinocyte suspension to treat 61 patients' chronic wound. The various methods of preparation of epidermal cell suspension are described. The advantages and shortcomings of different carriers for epidermal cell suspensions are also summarised. Both uncultured and cultured autologous epidermal cell suspensions have been used to treat chronic wounds. ConclusionAlthough the limitations of these studies include the small number of patient populations with chronic wounds and many important problems that remain to be solved, autologous epidermal cell suspension is a promising treatment for chronic wounds.

Clinical efficacy of ReCell(R ) technique in treatment of stable vitiligo

Objective To evaluate the preliminary outcome of stable vitiligo treatment with Re- Celltechnique. Methods Six patients with stable vitiligo were treated with ReCell technique. In each patient, a thin razor-thickness cutaneous biopsy was harvested from uninvolved area near the viti- ligo patches. It was then processed through the ReCell system and 1 ml autologous epidermal cell suspension was obtained. The lesion area was dermabraded using a diamond fraise wheel to the dermo- epidermal junction. The cell suspension was then sprayed on the wound and covered with non-adhering dressings. Results The patients were followed up for 6 months. 5 patients presented with repigmen- talon in the treated area. There was no significant response in one patient who was diagnosed as sys- tematic vitiligo. Conclusions The ReCell technique is an alternative treatment for stable vitiligo pa- tients. The clinical outcome will be satisfactory when appropriate patients are selected. Key words: ReCell; technique; Vitiligo; Surgical treatment

Comparison of intradermal injection of autologous epidermal cell suspension vs. spraying of these cells on dermabraded surface of skin of patients with post-burn hypopigmentation

Introduction:One of the most important complications after burning is hypo/depigmentation. This study was designed to compare two methods of cell spray and intradermal injection of epidermal cell suspension for treatment of burn induced hypopigmentation.Material and Methods:In this study, 28 patients with post burn hypo/depigmentation were selected and divided in 2 groups. A small skin biopsy was taken from normal skin of patients in operation room and epidermal cell suspension was prepared using NaBr 4N and trypsin. In the first group, the epidermal cell suspension was sprayed on the wound surface and then the area was dressed with amniotic membrane and gauze. In the second group, the cell suspension was injected in intradermal manner in the hypopigmented area. The patients were followed up and to evaluate the effect of the cells, photos were taken from the area before operation and also at follow-up. Clinical evaluation was done by the surgeon and a clinical score between “0” to “4” was used to demonstrate the clinical status from poor to excellent pigmentation. Skin biopsies were taken from depigmented area before and after interventions. Melanocytes were stained using anti S100 antibody and were counted in ×400 magnification fields.Results:Eighteen patients were in cell spray and 10 were in cell injection groups. Mean change of pigmentation in two group showed that there was no statistical significant differences in pigmentation between two groups, (P value = 0.52) although a limited improvement in pigmentation status was observed in both groups. Regarding melanocyte numbers per field, there was not a significant difference between two groups and also before and after interventions, but melanocyte number increased after treatment in both groups.Conclusion:We did not find noticeable differences between cell spray and intradermal injection methods. Although both methods showed a limited effect on pigmentation of depigmented skin, the clinical results were not satisfactorily for both patients and clinicians.

A Randomized Control Trial to Assess the Effects on Healing of Full-Thickness Wounds Treated with Integra® Dermal Regeneration Templates that have been Seeded with an Autologous Epidermal Cell Suspension

A Randomized Control Trial to Assess the Effects on Healing of Full-Thickness Wounds Treated with Integra® Dermal Regeneration Templates that have been Seeded with an Autologous Epidermal Cell Suspension

Use of allogenic acellular dermal matrix combined with autologous epidermal cells for the repair of tissue defect

To investigate a method for the repair of tissue defect. Allogenic acellular dermal matrixes (ADM) were implanted to full-thickness skin defects made on the dorsa of rats. Two weeks later, autologous suspended epidermal cells were transplanted on to the surface of vascularized ADM. Respectively, neoepidermis was macroscopically observed 2, 3, 5 weeks after grafting, and samples were taken to make routine paraffin sections for microscopical examination, and immunohistochemical staining for type IV collagen was also performed. The vascularized ADM could support proliferation and differentiation of epidermal cells, and also could promote the formation of dermal-epidermal junction. Suspended epidermal cells in an artificial culture system in vivo could develop into mature epidermis. The reconstructed skin not only looked like the normal one in appearance in which hair was removed, but also revealed a better function. Full-thickness skin defect can be repaired by transplanting autologous epidermal cell suspension on to vascularized ADM.