MORPHOLOGY OF GLYCEROL-PRESERVED HUMAN CADAVER SKIN

Donor allograft skin preserved in 85 per cent glycerol has been used s uccessfully as a temporary coverage for large burn wounds. The glycero l preservation is a method with low costs and has practical advantages such as antibacterial and virucidal effects. This report shows that t he glycerol treatment did not affect the fundamental structural integr ity of the skin. Intact keratinocytes and Langerhans cells with their characteristic Birbeck granules were still present in the glycerol-tre ated skin. After treatment with glycerol, the cells in the prepared ep idermal cell suspensions were non-viable. MHC class II positive and CD 1a positive cells could still be identified in situ and in the suspens ion.