3D Scaffold and Stem Cell Based Bioengineered Skin for Treatment of Cutaneous Vesicant Injury

Vesicants have been used as chemical warfare agents since World War I and are still considered a major class of chemical threat agents both for the military and for homeland security. There are four different vesicating agents: impure sulfur mustard, distilled sulfur mustard, phosgene oxime, and lewisite. Among them, mustard is the most important militarily. The organs most commonly affected by mustard are those come in direct contact: the skin, eyes, and airways. The purpose of this project is to generate large bioengineered skin from embryonic stem cells and skin keratinocytes stem cells with a specially designed 3D hybrid scaffold, for the treatment of vesicant-mediated skin lesions. The scaffold consists of an epidermal supporting layer and an inverted colloidal crystal-based dermal supporting layer. Both layers are constructed with biodegradable material using the layer-by-layer method. Murine embryonic stem cells will be used to generate a skin graft. A mustard stimulant- induced skin injury on the murine will be treated by transplanting the tissue-engineered skin graft for the restoration of epidermal and dermal compartments and the preservation of functional epidermal stem cells for complete healing and long-term restoration of the skin wounds.