Lab Grown Skin Success

Scientists in Japan have successfully transplanted mice with lab-grown skin that sprouts hair and grows glands.

21:01 04 April 2016

Scientists in Japan have successfully grown a skin with multiple layers including sweat glands and hair follicles by using stem cells obtained from a mouse’s gums.

 

The lab-grown skin integrated well and sprouted hairs after it was implanted into a “nude mouse” with a suppressed immune system.

 

The research aims to craft perfectly functioning skin that can be grown from the cells of burns victims and transplanted back to them.

 

Takashi Tsuji, the paper's senior author, said: "Up until now, artificial skin development has been hampered by the fact that the skin lacked the important organs, such as hair follicles and exocrine glands, which allow the skin to play its important role in regulation.

 

"With this new technique, we have successfully grown skin that replicates the function of normal tissue.

 

"We are coming ever closer to the dream of being able to recreate actual organs in the lab for transplantation."

 

Meanwhile, John McGrath, a professor of molecular dermatology at King's College London, said that the study is a huge step forward.

 

"There will be lots of benefits for immediate use, as well as for translational science," he said.