ABSTRACT
Skin tissue engineering is based on almost 40 years of research since the rst culture of keratinocytes on feeder layers and their use as epidermal sheets for burn treatment was realized (Rheinwald and Green, 1975). Over the past 40 years, our knowledge of cell biology and wound healing increased signicantly and great efforts have been made to create substitutes that mimic human skin. Skin is the largest organ in humans and serves as a protective barrier at the interface between the human body and the surrounding environment (Groeber et al., 2011). It protects the underlying organs against pathogenic microbial agents, mechanical disturbances, and UV radiation; it also prevents loss of body uid and plays a very important role in immune defense and thermoregulation (Böttcher-Haberzeth et al., 2010). Skin is basically composed of two layers: a stratied epidermis and an underlying dense connective tissue, that is, dermis. The two are attached to each other at the basement membrane region. Skin comprises several different cell types. Keratinocytes are the most common cell type in the epidermis and form the surface barrier layer. Melanocytes are found in the lower layer of the epidermis and provide skin color. Fibroblasts form the lower dermal layer and provide strength and resilience (MacNeil, 2007).
