Multicellular bioprinted skin facilitates human-like skin architecture in vivo.
Level 5 - mechanism / opinion, no new human data
Preclinical animal model study without human clinical data
PubMed 37792956 · doi:10.1126/scitranslmed.adf7547
What was done
Researchers fabricated a trilayer skin construct (epidermis, dermis, and hypodermis) using six primary human skin cell types via bioprinting. They transplanted these human-cell constructs onto full-thickness wounds in nu/nu mice to assess integration, vascularization, and structural development. Additionally, they generated 5 cm x 5 cm autologous bioprinted skin grafts and applied them to full-thickness excisional wounds in a porcine model to evaluate epithelialization, contraction, collagen organization, and gene expression.
What was found
In mice, human-cell bioprinted skin promoted vascularization, integrated into host tissue, and formed epidermal rete ridges with normal-appearing extracellular matrix. In pigs, autologous grafts improved epithelialization, reduced wound contraction, supported normal collagen organization with reduced fibrosis, and showed differential expression of pro-remodeling proteases. The abstract reported no quantitative metrics, confidence intervals, or p-values.
Why it matters
This work demonstrates that multicellular, full-thickness bioprinted skin can promote nonfibrotic healing and physiological architecture in large-animal models, representing a key step toward clinically viable skin substitutes.
Limits
Findings are limited to preclinical animal models (immunodeficient mice and pigs) with no human clinical testing. The abstract omits sample sizes, numerical measurements, control group details, and long-term durability assessments.
Cited by
- supports Anthony Atala has engineered organs including the bladder, urethra, and esophagus, as well as full-thickness skin for transplantation using stem cells.