METABOLIC-ACTIVITY OF CULTURED SKIN-GRAFTS CRYOPRESERVED IN DIFFERENTFORMS

Cultured epidermal cells in the form of coherent sheets have been used for the treatment of skin defects, Metabolic activity of fresh and in liquid nitrogen cryopreserved keratinocyte suspensions and three form s of coherent cultured skin sheets were compared with the aim to find the most appropriate form of skin cultures for cryopreservation. Kerat inocytes cultured from cryopreserved suspensions formed a confluent la yer in 8-10 days after thawing, showing 95% activity of the fresh conf luent cultures. Cryopreserved cultured epidermal sheets attached to th e bottom of the dish as well as recombined human/pig skin (RHPS) reach ed more than 70% of the metabolic activity of fresh grafts following 2 4 h regeneration ill the incubator after thawing. Cultured epidermal s heets detached from the dish and mounted on tulle grass reached only 2 8% of the fresh graft metabolic activity under the same conditions.