Wound Healing of Chronic Leg Ulcers Is Stimulated by Wound Edge Continuity with Adult Cultured Epidermal Autografts

Abstract Epidermal stem cells isolated from adult human skin present an opportunity to heal a variety of chronic wounds. Significant progress has been made in the serum-free culture of adult keratinocytes and their use to produce living three-dimensional cultured epidermal autologous skin grafts for treatment chronic leg ulcers. We present new retrospective studies showing that rapid healing of chronic venous stasis leg ulcers is stimulated by close association of living cultured autograft implant edges with host ulcer wound edges.