OBJECTIVETo Construct tissue engineered epidermal membrane for promoting healing of clinical skin graft donor site wound.

METHODSEpidermal cells /Chitosan-Gelatin (CG) membrane was constructed with cultured human epidermal cells(EC) and CG membrane, at the donor site of split skin graft, the wound was divided into three groups: the control group was covered with CG membrane without KC, KC/CG membrane was grafted on the treatment part of the wound area, and blank group was covered with traditional vaseline gauze. The engineered epidermal membrane and its effect on wound were evaluated with gross observation, HE, immunohistochemistry, collagen type I/III ratio by picrosirius polarization method and RT - PCR test at various time points before and after operation.

RESULTSThe result showed that human tissue engineered epidermis could be constructed with cultured human EC and CG membrane, and this artificial epidermal membrane could be used for promoting the healing of skin graft donor site wound successfully (16 cases with 3 months' oberservation). The average healing time is (16.2 +/- 3.8) days for control group, (8.1 +/- 1.3) days for experimental group and (23.0 +/- 5.7) days for blank group. The artificial epidermis was well survived with normal structure. In addition, less hypertrophic scar development was observed in treated wound at 90 days (3 in 16 cases, 20.0%) than in the blank sites (11 in 16 cases, 74.4%). The difference is statistically significant (chi2 = 8.127, P < 0.01).

CONCLUSIONSThe constructed EC-CG membrane can be constructed in vitro, survived in vivo and has good clinical application in promoting healing of skin graft donor site wound and inhibiting hypertrophic scar formation.