Dermal micro-organs, methods and apparatuses for producing and using the same

An apparatus for directly harvesting a dermal micro-organ from a subject comprising:

• (a) a support structure to support a skin-related tissue structure of a subject from which a dermal micro-organ is to be harvested, said support structure comprising;
• (i). a first tubular element comprising a site of insertion into the apparatus;
• (ii) a vacuum chamber comprising an inner support surface able to hold said skin-related tissue structure in a desired shape and position to enable a cutting tool to cut said dermal micro-organ directly from said skin-related tissue structure, wherein said first tubular element is connected to said vacuum chamber;
• and
• (iii) one or more vacuum channels to fluidically connect said vacuum chamber with at least one vacuum source;
• (b) an introducer;
• and
• (c) said cutting tool able to directly separate said dermal micro-organ from said skin-related tissue structure;
• wherein said dermal micro-organ is an explant of living tissue consisting essentially of a plurality of dermal components located below the epidermis and lacking a complete epidermal layer that substantially maintain the micro-architecture and three-dimensional structure of the dermal tissue from which they are obtained.