Native-state histoculturing method for skin
AssigneeAntiCancer, Inc.
InventorLingna Li
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Methods and compositions for a native-state histoculturing system for skin are disclosed. Skin samples are placed on an extracellular support matrix immersed in a medium whereby the internal surface of the skin is adjacent to the matrix and the external surface is exposed above the surface of the medium and the skin maintained in the medium under skin culturing conditions. An extracellular support matrix comprising a collagen-containing gel and homopolysaccharide sponge or a combination matrix of a top layer of a collagen-containing gel and a bottom layer of a homopolysaccharide sponge is also disclosed. Skin toxicity, hair growth, anti-aging and anti-wrinkling assays utilizing the histoculturing system of the present invention are also disclosed.
Claims13
A histoculturing method comprising placing an intact whole skin sample containing hair follicles, said skin sample excised from an animal under conditions wherein the hair follicle is not removed from the skin and the base of the hair shaft is not removed from the follicle, said skin sample having an internal and an external surface on a sponge support matrix immersed in a medium
- whereby the internal surface is adjacent to the matrix and the external surface is exposed above the surface of the medium, maintaining the matrix with the skin sample thereon in the medium under skin histoculturing conditions which permit hair growth and optionally, assessing the hair growth.
A hair growth assay comprising the steps of:
- a) culturing an intact whole skin sample containing hair follicles, said skin sample excised from an animal under conditions wherein the hair follicle is not removed from the skin and the base of the hair shaft is not removed from the follicle, said skin sample having an internal and an external surface on a sponge support matrix immersed in a medium whereby the internal surface is adjacent to the matrix and the external surface is exposed above the surface of the medium;
- b) making a first measurement of hair growth status;
- c) maintaining the skin sample and matrix in the medium for a preselected period of time under histoculturing conditions which permit hair growth;
- d) making a second measurement of hair growth status;
- and
- e) determining the difference between the first and second measurements of hair growth status thereby measuring hair growth.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.