human skin equivalent

human skin equivalent

Graft made of living human skin grown in a laboratory and used, e.g., to treat leg ulcers in patients with peripheral vascular disease or diabetes mellitus. The graft bonds with healthy tissue in a wound from which necrotic tissue has been removed, improving healing. It is grown from foreskin removed from neonates but also contains bovine (cow) proteins, limiting its use to those with no allergy to these proteins.

Synonym: artificial skin; tissue-engineered skin

See also: equivalent