X-Message-Number: 29934
Date: Mon, 15 Oct 2007 20:19:54 -0700 (PDT)
From: 
Subject: drying preserves human skin viability

Transplantation. 2006 Jun 15;81(11):1583-8.
Human skin preserved long-term in anhydric pulverized sodium chloride
retains cell molecular structure and resumes function after transplantation.
    Olszewski WL, Moscicka M, Zolich D. Department of Surgical Research
and Transplantology, Medical Research Center, Polish Academy of Sciences,
Warsaw, Poland.
    BACKGROUND: Human skin is needed to cover large areas of the body
lost through burns, trauma, and extensive maxillofacial
surgery. Contemporary methods of skin storage are limited by the period
of preservation to a few days. Our previous findings showed that fixation
and storage of human skin in anhydric sodium chloride at room temperature
for weeks or months preserves its morphological and molecular
structure. In this study, we examined whether skin grafts preserved in
sodium chloride may be successfully transplanted. METHODS: Skin was
harvested from lower limbs of patients during elective surgery, placed in
containers with anhydric salt powder, and kept at 22 degrees C for 3 to
12 weeks. Desalination and rehydration took place before
transplantation. Desalinated fragments were transplanted onto the dorsum
of scid mice. RESULTS: All grafts were accepted by recipients. Three
weeks after transplantation, keratinocytes synthesized keratins 10, 16,
and 17 and expressed antigens specific for stem (p63) and transient
(CD29) cells. Moreover, they proliferated vigorously, their basal layer
cells incorporated bromdeoxyuridine and expressed proliferative cell
nuclear antigen. Isolated from transplants and cultured in vitro, they
remained viable and produced enzymes. Dermis retained its structure and
expressed fibroblast-specific antigen. All graft cells remained human
leukocyte antigen I. CONCLUSION: Human skin preserved in anhydric sodium
chloride at room temperature for months can be successfully transplanted
to scid mice. We propose the concept of "spore-like" keratinocyte stem
cells to explain the long-term ex vivo survival of keratinocytes. The
mechanism of survival of fibroblasts remains to be determined.
PMID: 16770248

Ann Transplant. 2004;9(4):37-9.
Human skin preserved in anhydric sodium chloride for months can be
successfully transplanted.
    Olszewski WL, Moscicka M, Zolich D. Department of Surgical Research
and Transplantology, Medical Research Center, Polish Academy of Sciences,
Warsaw, Poland.
    Human skin can be preserved in pulverized sodium chloride dehydrated
at 240C for 2 hours at room temperature for periods of weeks or months
and successfully transplanted to scid mouse, retaining its normal
morphological structure. Fragment of skin of a size of 10 x 10 x 6 mm
were harvested during elective vascular and orthopaedic surgery of lower
limbs, dried of blood and placed in anhydric sodium chloride powder in
tight sealed containers. Prior to transplantation to scid mice, the
specimens were desalinated and rehydrated. Specimes preserved for 1 to 6
months and harvested 3-4 weeks after transplantation revealed intensive
incorporation of bromdeoxyuridine (BrdU) into basal keratinocytes. They
expressed p63 and CD29 (stem cells, and transient cells antigens), PCNA
(proliferating cell nuclear antigen) and cytokeratin 16 specific for
proliferating keratinocytes. Dermal fibroblasts and few large HLA II cells
showed a normal structure. Bacterial flora of skin did not change after
grafting. We conclude that human skin can survive in a dehydrated state
in sodium chloride for months and after transplantation the epidermal
basal layer cells give rise to keratinocyte progenies. Skin fibroblasts
and some resident immune cells can also survive.
PMID: 15884435

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