[Preliminary study on the phenomenon of epidermal stem cell ectopy in expanded skin].

Objective: To observe the differentiation and distribution of epidermal stem cell (ESC) after skin soft tissue expansion, and to initially probe into the growth mechanism of expanded skin tissue.

Methods: Samples of normal skin and expanded skin (mean effusion period 45 days) were harvested from head and cervical region in 15 patients who underwent II stage surgery after skin expansion. Samples were divided into scalp adjacent to the center of expander group (expanded scalp, 3 cm from the vertical axis of the expander), scalp from lateral part of the expander group (expanded scalp, 5 - 7 cm lateral to the vertical axis of the expander), cervical skin expansion group, un-expanded scalp control group, and un-expanded cervical skin control group, according to the position of skin harvested.

[Preliminary investigation on the dynamic change in epidermal stem cells under mechanical stress in vivo].

Objective: To observe the distribution of epidermal stem cell (ESC) after soft tissue expansion, and to explore dynamic change in ESC under mechanical stress and kinetic mechanism of skin expansion.

Methods: Skin samples were collected from patients after expansion of the scalp. They were divided into three groups: A group (scalp harvested 3 cm away from the center of dilator), B group (scalp tissues at the edge of dilator), and control group (scalp without dilatation).