TheSanDiegoChannel.com – Health – Woman’s Skin Falls Off, Miraculously Lives — here’s more on Transcyte:
Human Fibroblast Derived Temporary Skin Substitute – Temporary wound covering for surgically excised full-thickness and partial-thickness burns.
TransCyte consists of a polymer membrane and newborn human fibroblast cells cultured under aseptic conditions in vitro on a nylon mesh. Prior to cell growth, this nylon mesh is coated with porcine dermal collagen and bonded to a polymer membrane (silicone). This membrane provides a transparent synthetic epidermis when the product is applied to the burn.
As fibroblasts proliferate within the nylon mesh during the manufacturing process, they secrete human dermal collagen, matrix proteins and growth factors. Following freezing, no cellular metabolic activity remains; however, the tissue matrix and bound growth factors are left intact. The human fibroblast-derived temporary skin substitute provides a temporary protective barrier. TransCyte is transparent and allows direct visual monitoring of the wound bed.
At one time I would work in the Burn Unit and UVa, so I learned a little about skin and its’ importance. And this story amazes me.
And this is the site of the University of California at San Diego Burn Center.
Wow.
