Stem Cell Treatment for Burns

Stem Cells can help repair burns

Stem cells are also showing promise in the treatment of burn victims where human embryonic stem cells have successfully been used to grow an epidermis for grafting onto damaged and exposed tissue. Research carried out by the I-STEM* Institute, published in the Lancet (2009) created a whole epidermis from stem cells and the scientists hope to use the technology for burns patients and those with genetic skin diseases.  For years small skin samples taken from victims themselves have been used to create skin grafts but these take a long time to culture and leave the patient exposed to infection during that time.  Skin substitutes, whilst they have come a long way in recent years, still have the potential for rejection by the patients’ immune system and infection.

The I-STEM researchers isolated keratinocytes (skin stem cells) and grew a functional epidermis which has the capacity for self-renewal, stratification and final differentiation.  So far the process has resulted in successful transplantation of human epidermis in mice, but trials with human patients are still to be conducted.  The possible applications for the technology could include not only burn victims, but the healing of scar tissue, pigmentation problems, and conditions such as eczema.