An Developmental Study of Artificial Skin Using the Alginate Dermal Substrate: Preliminary Report

ABSTRACT

Alginate, a polymer of guluronic and mannuronic acid, is used as a scaffolding material in biomedical applications. The research was to produce highly-purified alginate from seaweeds and to evaluate the efficacy of alginate as dermal substrate. Our alginate purification method showed a production rate as high as 25%. The purified alginate contained little polyphenol contents and endotoxin, proteins. For study of wound healing, full thickness skin defects were made on the dorsal area of the animal models. And then alginate, fibroblast-growth-factor mixed alginate, alginate-collagen complex, vaseline gauze as control were applied on the wound, respectively, and were evaluated grossly and histopathologically. For biocompatibility test, alginate and alginate-collagen complex discs were implanted on the back of Sprague-Dawly rats. Four weeks after implantation, the animals were examined immunologically against alginate and collagen. Alginate and FGF-mixed alginate, alginate-collagen complex group showed statistically higher percentage of wound contraction and wound healing than control group(p<0.05). Alginate-collagen complex group and FGF-mixed alginate group showed statistically higher percentage of wound healing than alginate group. The experiment of biocompatibility and immunologic reaction against impanted alginate or collagen needs more investigation. Highly-purified alginate from seaweeds by our purification method, showed the effect of wound healing, and addition of FGF or collagen increases the alginate's wound healing effect. It shows the possibility of alginate as a dermal substrate.