Landeen, L. K., F. C. Zeigler, C. Halberstadt, R. Cohen, and S. R. Slivka. Characterization of a Human Dermal Replacement. Wounds. 1992. 4(5): 167-175.

A human dermal replacement, engineered to enhance the healing process in burn victims and patients suffering from chronic skin ulcers, has been characterized for cellular and extracellular matrix development. An in vitro assay for assessing wound healing promotion by epithelialization was also developed to study the dermal replacement and to correlate with animal data. The extracellular matrix was important in supporting epidermal migration and differentiation. In general, matrix components including collagen, hyaluronic acid, chondroitin sulfate, fibronectin, and tenascin increased during the growth of the dermal replacement. However, when fibroblasts were measured for cell numbers and mitotic activity, we found they became more quiescent with age. In vitro epithelial migration and differentiation increased as the dermal replacement matured.