Optimization of the Potential of Human Adult and Embryonic Stem Cells for Skin Tissue Engineering

Current treatments for massive skin loss are still in their infancy and Skin Tissue Engineering (TE) remains as the most promising approach to produce a universal skin substitute that would provide burn victims and other patients the best quality skin in the shortest time. Despite having the longest history of commercialization, skin analogues lack in meeting completely the regeneration demands [1]. In fact, the long-term function of the skin equivalents could be limited, among other factors, by the terminal differentiation of the grafted keratinocytes. The main ambition of this work-plan is to develop novel skin Tissueengineered constructs that stimulate regeneration rather than dressing of full-thickness skin wounds.