Tissue engineering for skin transplantation

Publisher Summary This chapter outlines the structure and function of skin and also the different delivery systems for keratinocyte application. There are a number of pathologies in which skin loss or damage is a salient feature. Most notable amongst these are burns, in particular large-area injuries, and chronic ulcers. Problems common to both pathologies include the loss of superficial epidermis and dermis, abnormal wound healing, and the failure of wound healing. Both pathologies present enormous economical and medical challenges, and have received a large amount of interest with the advent of tissue engineering. The chapter describes that the structure of skin is very complex consisting of an epithelial and mesenchymal component. True tissue-engineered skin will need both these components and all the cell types.