Artificial Skin Research Paper
The development of artificial skin started in the 1970's and today it has become a very common process for a person who has suffered injuries due to a burn. Biologists and even engineers throughout the world are trying their best to make the artificial skin much stronger and better than what it is today. Tissue Engineering is the application of how cells grow into functioning tissue to the building or repairing of organs, including skin, the largest organ in the body (29). Most of the artificial skin produced is engineered by Tissue Engineers. Many companies throughout the world have devoted a lot of money in producing artificial skin and also in the research of skin that can be more effective.
It all started in the late 1970's Dr. John Burke teamed up with Dr. Ioannis Yannas, a mechanical Engineer at Massachusetts Institute of Technology, to devise a synthetic substitute for skin. Skin is composed of two main layers, the dermis and the epidermis (7). The dermis is the lower layer and normally doesn't grow back once the skin is destroyed. This makes it even more difficult for skin to grow back once it is burnt. Burke and Yannas made the artificial skin in such a way that it taught the damaged dermis cells to grow back in an orderly fashion. Once the first layer starts to regenerate, surgeons could remove the top layer and replace it with ultra thin skin grafts taken from other part of the body. This Artificial Skin produced was named to be Integra.
It all started in the late 1970's Dr. John Burke teamed up with Dr. Ioannis Yannas, a mechanical Engineer at Massachusetts Institute of Technology, to devise a synthetic substitute for skin. Skin is composed of two main layers, the dermis and the epidermis (7). The dermis is the lower layer and normally doesn't grow back once the skin is destroyed. This makes it even more difficult for skin to grow back once it is burnt. Burke and Yannas made the artificial skin in such a way that it taught the damaged dermis cells to grow back in an orderly fashion. Once the first layer starts to regenerate, surgeons could remove the top layer and replace it with ultra thin skin grafts taken from other part of the body. This Artificial Skin produced was named to be Integra.
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Integra was first made in the 1970's. It basically provides a mechanism for the growth of the lower layer of the skin and then the rest is done by the thin skin grafts taken from other parts of the body. These days engineered skin is being produced. It is basically synthetic skin produced in laboratories through manual labor. It is turning out to be more effective in healing third degree burns. Many companies are producing them. One method used by Organogenesis factory is described as follows.
First, Dermal cells are spread over a matrix of collagen. This forms the lower layer of the skin. After a week, the epidermal cells are spread over the lower layer of skin. After exposing the structure to air for about 5 days the outer layer, stratum corneum, is formed. This is the layer contains a layer dead cells (7). The process produces round skin patches measuring about 8cm in diameter. The process seems to be simple, but it takes a lot of precaution to do it. Right now most of the processes are done manually, but they are expected to be industrialized very soon.
Synthetic Skin is something that emerged during the last couple of years. But before that Integra had created wonders in many people's lives. The main advantages of artificial skin are its ability to heal wounds quickly, availability in large quantities, durability, permeability, good adherence, bacterial defense, ease of application and removal, cosmetic acceptability, and it feels more like natural skin than cultured human cells. Synthetic skin is much more effective and brings out better results. It is faster than using Integra and causes less pain to the skin while being put on the skin. It definitely changed Scott Burdette's life. When the left side of his body was covered with flaming paint, he was flown to a Hospital in Washington where his skin was replaced by synthetic skin produced in a lab by Advanced Tissue Sciences Inc. Within three weeks he was back to normal and going to school as well. In the same way Integra and Synthetic skin have helped a lot of people live a life they couldn't have imagined.
Nothing can be perfect in the world. At times artificial skin can cause some harmful effects to the body. It can create wrinkling over the arms and lower legs area. Sometimes while healing, the epidermal cells can loosen at edges two to three weeks after replacement. This is mainly because of the wear or motion cause by joint movements. There is also a possibility of infections to occur in the graft bed area under Integra. This means that the surgery should be carefully monitored and maximum precaution should be taken. There is also a possibility of less number of lymphocytes to be formed during the healing process. Lymphocytes are white blood cells that bear the responsibility to carry out activities of the immune system.
Tissue engineering has made great gains in science but in terms of business it is not doing that well. Two leaders in the industry filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy, which allows company to continue its business at the same time figuring out how to restructure its finances. People blame the bankruptcy on a combination of lackluster sales and the poor profit margins (29). Companies blame the bankruptcy to the lack of automated manufacturing procedures. Some companies have even started building their control systems to create and maintain the biological and mechanical environments that are needed to nurture tissues. Robotics and other sorts of automation will also be needed to replace the manual labor. It is difficult to support these programs because of the low profits but companies are trying to do their best to maintain production of synthetic skin.
Artificial Skin has definitely been very useful in today's world. But there is more to come. Companies and many researchers are trying to make synthetic organs. Just like synthetic skin, synthetic organs can also prove to be very important. Many tests have been done on animals but they are still to test it on humans. Leading Universities have taken the responsibility and they are sure that it will immerge in the future. "It's not outstanding to think it could be done at the some point", says Robert Langer, a professor pf chemical and biomedical engineering at MIT and a pioneer in the field. "The issue is how long it takes to get there. I don't know if it'll be 20 years or 500 years (33)."
First, Dermal cells are spread over a matrix of collagen. This forms the lower layer of the skin. After a week, the epidermal cells are spread over the lower layer of skin. After exposing the structure to air for about 5 days the outer layer, stratum corneum, is formed. This is the layer contains a layer dead cells (7). The process produces round skin patches measuring about 8cm in diameter. The process seems to be simple, but it takes a lot of precaution to do it. Right now most of the processes are done manually, but they are expected to be industrialized very soon.
Synthetic Skin is something that emerged during the last couple of years. But before that Integra had created wonders in many people's lives. The main advantages of artificial skin are its ability to heal wounds quickly, availability in large quantities, durability, permeability, good adherence, bacterial defense, ease of application and removal, cosmetic acceptability, and it feels more like natural skin than cultured human cells. Synthetic skin is much more effective and brings out better results. It is faster than using Integra and causes less pain to the skin while being put on the skin. It definitely changed Scott Burdette's life. When the left side of his body was covered with flaming paint, he was flown to a Hospital in Washington where his skin was replaced by synthetic skin produced in a lab by Advanced Tissue Sciences Inc. Within three weeks he was back to normal and going to school as well. In the same way Integra and Synthetic skin have helped a lot of people live a life they couldn't have imagined.
Nothing can be perfect in the world. At times artificial skin can cause some harmful effects to the body. It can create wrinkling over the arms and lower legs area. Sometimes while healing, the epidermal cells can loosen at edges two to three weeks after replacement. This is mainly because of the wear or motion cause by joint movements. There is also a possibility of infections to occur in the graft bed area under Integra. This means that the surgery should be carefully monitored and maximum precaution should be taken. There is also a possibility of less number of lymphocytes to be formed during the healing process. Lymphocytes are white blood cells that bear the responsibility to carry out activities of the immune system.
Tissue engineering has made great gains in science but in terms of business it is not doing that well. Two leaders in the industry filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy, which allows company to continue its business at the same time figuring out how to restructure its finances. People blame the bankruptcy on a combination of lackluster sales and the poor profit margins (29). Companies blame the bankruptcy to the lack of automated manufacturing procedures. Some companies have even started building their control systems to create and maintain the biological and mechanical environments that are needed to nurture tissues. Robotics and other sorts of automation will also be needed to replace the manual labor. It is difficult to support these programs because of the low profits but companies are trying to do their best to maintain production of synthetic skin.
Artificial Skin has definitely been very useful in today's world. But there is more to come. Companies and many researchers are trying to make synthetic organs. Just like synthetic skin, synthetic organs can also prove to be very important. Many tests have been done on animals but they are still to test it on humans. Leading Universities have taken the responsibility and they are sure that it will immerge in the future. "It's not outstanding to think it could be done at the some point", says Robert Langer, a professor pf chemical and biomedical engineering at MIT and a pioneer in the field. "The issue is how long it takes to get there. I don't know if it'll be 20 years or 500 years (33)."
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