182 Chapter 6 autografts to treat full-thickness skin defects and support skin regeneration [25–28]. Therefore, FSEs generated using these matrices are relevant in vitro study models. We validated the different FSE models by studying skin development, cell differentiation, cell viability, and cytokine production. A standardized thermal contact injury was applied to evaluate in vitro wound healing. We compared the performance of these FSEs to cultured ex vivo human skin and de-epidermalized dermis (DED)-based FSEs. RESULTS Skin morphogenesis in full skin equivalent models was similar to ex vivo human skin FSEs were generated from dermal matrices DED, MatriDerm, and Mucomaix. To validate our FSE models, we first studied skin development after 3 weeks of initial culture (indicated as time T0) and compared this to ex vivo normal human skin (Figure 1A). At T0, the DED-based models contained a completely developed dermis and a pan-cytokeratinpositive epidermis (Figure 1B). At T + 2 weeks, the epidermal and dermal structures developed further and included a thickened stratum corneum that was similar to that of ex vivo human skin. MatriDerm-based FSEs also displayed a well-developed dermis and pan-cytokeratin-positive epidermis that was comparable to the DED-based FSEs and ex vivo human skin. At T + 2 weeks, the dermis remained intact, and the stratum spinosum became thinner, while the stratum corneum grew thicker. Mucomaix-based FSEs developed a complete, pan-cytokeratin-positive epidermis, but its dermis was rather incomplete due to partial degradation and compaction of the matrix. Extension of the culture time improved organization of the epidermal layer and thickening of the stratum corneum but resulted in further degradation of the matrix.
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