ABSTRACT
Objective To investigate the xenotransplantation model of fetal pig skin precursor tissue and its development after transplantaion. Methods Porcine skin precursor tissue was obtained from the embryo of gestation day 56 (E56), and made into microskin or stamp skin graft. The microskin was transplanted to the dorsal wound in BALB/c nude mice, then covered with human corpse skin. The stamp skin graft was imbedded subcutaneously into the back of nude mice, and microskin was injected subcutaneously into the auricles of nude mice. Their growth and development were observed and they were examined by HE staining at 6th and 12th week after transplantation respectively. Two-sample t test was used to analyze the size of newly grown skin tissue. Results Porcine skin precursor tissue graft in three models above survived and continued growth after transplantation, and growth ability of the dorsal wound transplantation model was significantly stronger than that of the auricle model. Epidermis and hypodermis were detected in newly grown skin tissues. Hair follicles, a few of sebaceous glands, but no sweat glands were observed in auricle model, while many sebaceous glands and sweat glands were observed in the dorsal wound model. Conclusion Transplantation of microskin to dorsal wound is the optimal model of investigating the xenotransplantation of fetal pig skin precursor tissue and its development after transplantion.