Fog. Fraulin et al., AUTOTRANSPLANTATION OF EPITHELIAL-CELLS IN THE PIG VIA AN AEROSOL VEHICLE, The Journal of burn care & rehabilitation, 19(4), 1998, pp. 337-345
Citations number
36
Categorie Soggetti
Surgery,Rehabilitation,"Emergency Medicine & Critical Care
A new method of delivery of epithelial suspensions with use of an aero
solization apparatus was examined in the pig. Pull-thickness pig skin
was harvested, and an epithelial suspension was created using standard
techniques of dispase and trypsin. Twenty-four hours after skin harve
st, four full-thickness wounds were created on the flanks of the pig.
The control wound was sprayed with a solution without epithelial cells
. The three experimental wounds were sprayed with epithelial cell susp
ensions (similar to 10(6) cells/suspension). Weekly evaluation with ph
otographs, biopsies, and tracings were done for 4 weeks. At 10 weeks,
the entire process was repeated with new wounds on the pig's back. Thi
rty-five wounds in five pigs were evaluated: 10 control (5 flank, 5 ba
ck) and 25 experimental (15 flank, 10 back). Control wounds healed by
contraction alone, with epithelium at the edges only. After 4 weeks, a
n open area remained. Central epithelial islands developed in experime
ntal wounds at 2 weeks. These islands coalesced to close the wounds by
4 weeks. Histology at 1 week showed groups of epithelial cells deeply
embedded in granulation tissue. These groups became immature epitheli
al layers on the surface by 2 weeks, and all layers of epithelium were
present by 4 weeks. Overall, flank experimental wounds epithelialized
sooner, but contracted at the same rate as control wounds. In conclus
ion, epithelial cells can be delivered by an aerosolization apparatus
and remain viable and proliferative in a pig model.