Tel Aviv, Sciences and Medical. An artificial skin transplant which accelerates the healing of burns.

Faced with the strong incidence of serious burns during the war. Consequently. Meanwhile, researchers from the University of Tel Aviv and the Sheba Medical Center Tel Hashomer have developed an innovative “artificial skin”, intended to be grafted in the Gallows Brûlées, produced from the patient’s own cells, and considerably reducing healing time. Similarly, The technology, developed the Prof. Nevertheless, Lihi Adler-Abramovich. Similarly. Furthermore, and doctoral student Dana Cohen-Gerassi in the laboratory of materials inspired by nature and nanotechnologies of the University of Tel Aviv, can also be used for other wounds that are difficult to heal, such as diabetic wounds and other complex cases.

The study was carried out in collaboration with Dr. Nevertheless, Amit Sitt of the Chemistry Faculty of the University of Tel Aviv, Prof. Therefore, tel aviv, sciences medical. For example, artificial Consequently, Itzhak Binderman of the School of Dental Medicine and Prof. Moreover, Shahar Diamand of the Faculty of Engineering, as well as Dr. Consequently, Ayelet Di Segni, director of the fabric banking and the skin engineering laboratory at Sheba, Dr. However, From the National Intensive Care Unit for Burnt (Sheba), Prof. In addition, Yossi Haik, director of the plastic surgery service and the National Center for the Management of Burns (Sheba).

It was published in the prestigious review Advanced Functional Materials.

The War of the Iron Epées which broke out in October 2023 posed enormous challenges to Israeli medicine. Similarly, in particular the large number of victims suffering tel aviv, sciences medical. artificial new from serious burns, sometimes on large areas of the body. Consequently, “Since October 2023, Sheba has treated many young people burned,” said Dr. In addition, Di Segni. However, For these wounded, existing options are limited and sometimes painful and complex. However, In tel aviv, sciences medical. Meanwhile, artificial this context, the need to find innovative solutions has therefore become urgent. Meanwhile, The second. Additionally, Meanwhile. third degree burns are among the most serious and painful injuries, and often require surgery, not only aesthetic, but also essential to save life, prevent infections, promote the fusion of tissues and restore skin functions.

“In such situations. Nevertheless. the current standard treatment is the autologous skin transplant, which consists in taking healthy skin from another area of ​​the patient’s body and transplant it in the burned area,” explains Prof. Therefore, Adler-Abramovich. Similarly, “However. this approach has major drawbacks. including the need to damage healthy tel aviv, sciences medical. artificial new tissues to treat injured tissues, thus creating a new wound which also requires healing sometimes accompanied by intense pain. In addition, when it comes to extensive burns, there is not always enough healthy skin. ”

One of the most advanced alternatives. currently proposed in Israel at the Sheba Medical Center. is the epidermal autogreffe of culture (CEA), making it possible to cultivate skin in the laboratory from the patient’s own cells. “The process consists in taking a small skin sample per biopsy. extracting stem cells and transforming them into a graft,” explains Prof. Adler-Abramovich.

This method is not without limits. “These grafts are cultivated on a layer of cells of murine origin (coming from the mouse). There is therefore strict regulation tel aviv, sciences medical. artificial new to guarantee that no residue of foreign cells remain in human tissues, “explains Dr. Di Segni.

In addition. once removed from the culture box, the graft narrows considerably, sometimes by more than 50 %, which makes its use problematic. To cover an area the size of an arm or one leg, dozens tel aviv, sciences medical. artificial of grafts are necessary. In addition. it is a very delicate fabric. consisting only of epidermis (the superficial layer of the skin), which is therefore fine, fragile, folds up on the edges and is very difficult to handle in operating room.

A healing twice as fast

The urgent need. the limitations of existing solutions have therefore led researchers to set an ambitious objective: to develop a graft capable. of behaving in all respects as natural skin in order to improve the chances of healing of the burns. The result seemed straight out of tel aviv, sciences medical. artificial new a science fiction film.

“The technology that we have developed makes it possible to take a small sample of skin by biopsy. cultivate this small number of cells in the laboratory in order to produce a large number. and to organize these cells in skin tissue that can be grafted to the patient after a few weeks,” tel aviv, sciences medical. artificial explains Prof. Adler-Abramovich.

“We have designed a Nanofribers matrix from a polymer called PCL. already approved by the FDA. and associated it with a bioactive peptide, a short sequence of amino acids which promotes adhesion, growth and cell proliferation,” explains Dana Cohen-Gerassi. “We then sown this matrix with skin cells from a patient’s biopsy. Surprisingly. the cells have naturally organized, imitating the structure of human skin, fibroblasts on one side, Kéranocytes on the other. Once the graft is ready, we can transplant it ”. “Our graft is unique tel aviv, sciences medical. artificial new of a kind: it does not shrink, is durable, flexible and easy to handle,” adds Dr. Marina Ben Shoshan, researcher at the center of the skin transplants at Sheba.

Researchers have demonstrated the effectiveness of this method during preclinical experiences on animal models. “The establishment on animal models has given impressive results, multiplying by two the healing speed. While standard treatment allows tel aviv, sciences medical. artificial you to close half of the burn in eight days, our method only took four days. We have shown that our grafts promote healing and considerably reduce healing time. The implant really promotes the healing of the burn. replaces the damaged skin and allows its integration into the existing skin ”.

Entirely made from patient cells

“By combining tissue engineering. material engineering, we have developed a skin tissue which represents a real progress in the treatment of burns. Fully made from patient cells, tel aviv, sciences medical. artificial new this skin is resistant, flexible, easy to handle and considerably accelerate healing. This is major progress towards personalized therapies which can greatly improve the healing. quality of life of victims of serious burns, soldiers and civilians, “concludes Prof. Yossi Haik.

“We are currently collaborating with the Sheba Hospital. and work in the context of protocols based on current clinical standards,” explains Prof. Adler-Abramovich. “In order for technology tel aviv, sciences medical. artificial to really be used in humans. we must go through all regulatory processes and obtain the necessary authorizations. The preclinical test that we conducted is the first step. which allows us to move forward in this development and get closer to the application on the ground. ”

“I dream that this method becomes the standard treatment of burns,” she adds. “But moreover. the potential of this technology is vast: it can also suit wounds that are difficult to tel aviv, sciences medical. artificial new heal like diabetic wounds. and other complex cases. Many patients in Israel and in the world face these problems. If we manage to make these implants accessible to them. we will not only be able to save injured. but also considerably improve the quality of life of thousands of patients. ”

Photo 2 :

From left to right: Dr. Amit Sitt, Dr. Marina Ben-Shoshan, Dr. Ayelet Di Segni, Prof. Lihi tel aviv, sciences medical. artificial Adler-Abramovich. Dana Cohen-Gerassi

(Credit: Tel Aviv University)

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