Complete human skin organ generated from culture-expanded cells

A method for skin organ generation comprising:

• isolating cells from human tissue, wherein the cells comprise pluripotent follicle-derived cells;
• culturing isolated epidermal cells, wherein culturing the isolated epidermal cells comprises exposing the cells to a rho kinase inhibitor;
• culturing isolated dermal cells;
• combining cultured epidermal cells and cultured dermal cells;
• co-culturing the combined epidermal cells and dermal cells under conditions to enrich SOX2 expression;
• implanting co-cultured cells onto a recipient organism;
• and
• supporting generation of a full-thickness skin organ from the implanted cells, wherein the skin organ comprises fully cycling hair follicles.

A method for skin therapy comprising:

• isolating cells from human tissue, wherein the cells comprise pluripotent follicle-derived cells;
• culturing isolated epidermal cells, wherein culturing the isolated epidermal cells comprises exposing the cells to a rho kinase inhibitor;
• culturing isolated dermal cells;
• combining cultured epidermal cells and cultured dermal cells;
• co-culturing the combined epidermal cells and dermal cells;
• suspending the co-cultured cells into a slurry;
• applying the slurry to a substrate;
• implanting co-cultured cells onto a wound by attaching the substrate to tissue adjacent to the wound;
• dressing the implanted wound;
• and
• supporting generation of a full-thickness skin organ from the implanted cells, wherein the skin organ comprises epidermis, dermis, and hypodermis layers and functions through fully-cycling hair follicles, sweat glands, and adipose tissue.