Summary
Survival of grafted tissues is dependent upon revascularisation. This study investigated
revascularisation in a murine skin graft model, using two methods. The first involved
1,1′-dioctadecyl-3,3,3′,3′-tetramethylindocarbocyanine (DiI) labelling of the wound
bed, prior to replacing the skin graft, to allow tracking of host cells into the grafts.
At time points between day 3 and day 14 post-surgery, DiI-labelled cells which had
tracked into the grafts, were found to co-localise with CD31 positive endothelial
cells and patent perfused vessels (fluorescein isothiocyanate (FITC)–dextran perfusion),
to show possible association with the vasculature. To further differentiate between
graft and host-derived cells, C57BL/6 wild-type grafts were placed on enhanced-green
fluorescent protein (e-GFP) transgenic mouse hosts, and at set times post-grafting
examined using confocal microscopy.
Patent vessels were found at all depths of the graft by day 3. Host (DiI- or GFP-positive)
cells were predominantly co-localised with graft vessels in grafts from day 3 onwards,
with a similar morphology to control skin. Significantly more GFP labelled host cells
were visualised in the superficial dermis at day 5 compared to day 3.
Initial restoration of circulation appears to be due to linkage between existing graft
and bed vessels, followed by an influx of host cells with a definite perivascular
distribution. These findings have implications for skin autografts and tissue engineered
skin substitutes.
Keywords
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Article info
Publication history
Published online: March 12, 2007
Accepted:
March 5,
2006
Received:
January 16,
2006
Footnotes
☆This work was presented at the Winter Meeting of the British Association of Plastic Surgeons, at the Royal College of Surgeons in London, December 2004.
Identification
Copyright
© 2006 British Association of Plastic, Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgeons. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
