6.20 Skin Tissue Engineering

The integration of healing, cell biology, and skin tissue engineering research has been ongoing for nearly one century. In this chapter, we provide a bird’s eye view of skin anatomy and functions, wound healing processes, the challenges and solutions to wound healing. Many techniques and biomaterials have been examined for their potential utility as skin substitutes. Notwithstanding evidence that some strategies have been more successful than others, the ideal skin substitute does not exist. Existing skin substitutes suffer from poor mechanical properties, poor biocompatibility, poor immunocompatibility, poor integration, limited vascularization (poor survival), and fibrosis (scarring). However, the results from collaborative efforts between skin biologists, materials engineers and surgeons is providing transforming advances in this field and is delivering improvements for skin repair and regeneration. The combination of stem cells, vascularization, smart materials and customized bioprinting means that authentic skin substitutes that support skin regeneration are visible on the horizon.