Researchers have developed a groundbreaking ex vivo skin model that can be cultivated at room temperature, breaking the traditional boundaries of skin research. This innovative approach offers greater flexibility and accessibility in studying skin biology, toxicology, and disease models. The study highlights the ability to maintain the integrity and functionality of skin samples, including the preservation of immune cells, for an extended period. This advancement could lead to new discoveries and more accurate predictions in various fields, from cosmetics to drug development. Skin is the largest organ in the human body and plays a crucial role in protecting us from the outside world.
Overcoming Challenges in Skin Research
Traditionally, skin research has been conducted using in vitro models, such as cell’>Langerhans cells and macrophages, remained present in the skin samples throughout the cultivation period.
Versatile Applications and Implications
The ability to cultivate the ex vivo skin model at room temperature opens up a wide range of possibilities for skin research. It facilitates the implementation of alternative testing conditions, which could enable studies on the impact of environmental factors, such as Click Here
 and skin equivalents (SE), which have limitations in representing the full complexity of human skin. The ex vivo skin model, derived from human foreskin samples, offers a more comprehensive and physiologically relevant approach, including the presence of immune cells and other skin components.</p>
<p>However, these ex vivo models have typically required cultivation in a cell culture incubator with a controlled temperature of 37°C and a specific CO2 atmosphere. The researchers behind this study recognized the need to break free from these constraints and develop a more flexible and accessible skin model.</p>
<p><h3>A Skin Model that Thrives at Room Temperature</h3>
<p>The researchers demonstrated that the foreskin-derived ex vivo skin model, named the <strong>MUG-hOSEC (Medical University of Graz – human Organotypic Skin Explant Culture)<strong>, can be successfully cultivated at room temperature without the need for a CO2 incubator. This innovative approach maintains the integrity and functionality of the skin samples over a three-day cultivation period.</p>
<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img decoding="async" src="https://famefreq.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/1729189474_41598_2024_75291_Fig2_HTML.png" alt="figure 2" style="width: 100%; height: auto;" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Fig. 2</figcaption></figure>
<p><h3>Preserving Skin Integrity and Immune Cells</h3>
<p>The study findings show that the MUG-hOSEC model maintains a well-preserved epidermis, with proliferating keratinocytes and minimal cell death, even after three days of cultivation at room temperature. Importantly, the researchers also found that the resident immune cells, such as <a href=){kind=link}