Riviere, J.E., K.F. Bowman, N.A. Monteiro-Riviere. On the Definition of Viability in Isolated Perfused Skin Preparations. Brit. J. Dermatol. 1987. 116: 739-744.

The in vitro perfusion of skin offers many potential advantages to dermatology, and to the study of cutaneous pharmacology, toxicology and biochemistry. However, before these techniques can be fully accepted, criteria for viability assessment should be properly defined. A recent report described a novel isolated perfused human groin skin flap preparation. A preputial preparation was also recently reported. In this work, viability was assessed by various biochemical parameters including glucose consumption and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) concentrations in the perfusate. Our laboratory has recently developed an isolated perfused porcine skin flap (IPPSF) and used similar markers for viability. Both skin flaps utilize a similar composition and volume of perfusate, have glucose as the primary energy source, and have demonstrated dermal capillary perfusion. The human skin flap is perfused in a 100% humidity chamber while the porcine skin flap is a tubed preparation and is perfused in an ambient environment or in an atmosphere of variable but controlled relative humidity. Both utilize 95% oxygen/5% carbon dioxide and are perfused at 37 C.