ABSTRACT
Closure of large skin wounds with split-thickness skin graft requires extensive harvesting of autologous skin. The limitation of available donor areas has sought various kinds of skin equivalents for coverage of skin defects. Concept of living skin equivalent using fibroblast and keratinocyte is the most promising one. For seeking ideal artificial skin, we conducted a research of new dermal alternative using chitosan. Fibroblast scattered on chitosan and chitosan-collagen sponge polymers were cultured for 3 weeks and chitosan and chitosan-collagen sponge polymers were grafted on the back of 250 gm Sprague-Dawley rat. There was statistically significant difference in fibroblast attachment as well as fibroblast proliferation between chitosan and chitosan-collagen sponge. Four weeks after grafting, the grafted area was examined. In the area of chitosan sponge graft, there was no clinical sign of inflammation. However, mild inflammatory infiltration and a few multinucleated giant cells were observed. In contrast, chitosan-collagen sponge grafted area showed no foreign body reaction clinically and histologically. In conclusion, concomitant use of chitosan and collagen resulted in better fibroblast attachment and proliferation and minimal immunologic reaction than chitosan sponge.