Methods for harvesting human fibroblasts, and autografting methods

#The invention relates to the medical arts, more particularly, to tissue engineering especially tissue engineering in which three-dimensional printing technology is used.

#Healing wounds is a complex process of tissue repair and regeneration in response to injury. The healing response in skin wounds (Inflammation, proliferation and repair, and tissue remodeling) attempts to reconstitute tissue similar to the wounded one and this is accomplished via the concerted action of numerous skin cell types, collagens, cytokines, growth factors (GF s), chemokines, cell surface and adhesion molecules, as well as multiple extracellular matrix proteins. Skin grafting becomes necessary in many wounds to prevent massive water loss in addition to providing protection against infection during the healing process. Autologous split-thickness skin grafting currently represents the most rapid, effective method of reconstructing large skin defects; however, in cases where a significant quantity of harvested graft is required, it represents yet another trauma to an already injured patient.

#Much auto-grafting work has been done previously including our own work and that of others.

#FIG. 1 is an image taken of fibroblasts isolated from granulation tissue in an exemplary embodiment of the invention.

#FIG. 2 is a flow chart of an exemplary embodiment of an inventive method.

#Referring to FIG. 2, inventive steps are performed of harvesting 100 tissue from a wound, followed by processing 110 the harvested tissue into an autograft, followed by applying 120 the autograft to the same wound used in the harvesting step.

#That the wound in the harvesting 100 and autograft-applying 120 steps is the same wound is particularly emphasized.

#With regard to the patient's dermis elsewhere than wound #1 being used in the harvesting 100 and autograft-applying 120 steps, in some embodiments the patient is spared creation of a new donor site wound otherwise than wound #1, and in other embodiments creation of a new donor site wound otherwise than wound #1 optionally is performed.