Changes of skin mechanical properties and reuse of denatured dermis after deep second-degree burn in rats / 上海交通大学学报（医学版）

ABSTRACT

Objective • To investigate the changes of skin mechanical properties after deep second-degree burn, and study the feasibility of composite transplantation by using denatured dermal acellular matrix. Methods • The deep second-degree burn models in SD rats were constructed, and then the full skins were harvested after 3 h and 3 d, respectively, to compare the skin modulus of elasticity and ultimate load with normal skins. In addition, the structural differences of the dermal matrix were also compared. The composite transplantations were conducted by using the normal or denatured dermal acellular matrix, and then the general and histological structures of living skin grafts were observed. Results • The moduli of elasticity of the normal skins and the skins 3 h and 3 d after burn in SD rats were (8.7±6.4) MPa, (7.2±2.7) MPa and (2.7±0.3) MPa, respectively. The ultimate loads were (107.1±41.7) N, (81.5±10.8) N and (42.2±7.0) N, respectively. Both indexes were significantly reduced in the skins 3 d after burn compared to the normal ones (P<0.05). In the acellular matrix of denatured dermis 3 h after burn, the pore structure was still similar to that of normal one, and the appearance and histological structure after healing from composite transplantation were similar to those of the control group. Conclusion • The early denatured skin tissue after deep second-degree burn maintains the similar mechanical properties and histological structure to the normal skin, which is a potential source of acellular dermal matrix for composite transplantation.