[Tissue equivalent for the closure of extended urethral defects].

The aim of the present work was to develop a method for culturing epidermal keratinocytes to be used in a tissue equivalent for the closure of extended urethral defects. The experiment was carried out using 15 rabbits. Skin biopsies were obtained from the inner surface of the ear.

[Contractile capacity of fibroblasts from different sources in the model of living skin equivalent].

Human fibroblasts contract collagen gel in vitro and produce a connective tissue-like structure termed the living skin equivalent. In this study, the contractile capacity of postnatal dermal fibroblasts, bone marrow mesenchymal cells and mesenchymal cells derived from the fat tissue has been compared to that of fetal dermal fibroblasts in the model of living skin equivalent. The results show that fetal fibroblasts contract the collagen gel approximately six times stronger than do all other fibroblast cell types, with the numbers of all these cells being equal.

[Application of cell technologies to tissue defect closure in oncology].

In vivo and in vitro experiments on the application of cell technologies to tissue defect closure were conducted; autologic mesenchymal stem cells on 3-demensional matrices were used. The authors analyze the results of the application of bioengineering tissue equivalents for the closure of soft tissue and upper airway defects after extensive resections performed in 52 oncological patients. Tissue equivalents with stem cells provide engraftment and long-term graft functioning; they also modify wound surface, thus stimulating wound epithelization.

[Immunomorphological study of time course of repair of corneal deep burn defects after stromal equivalent transplantation].

Early defects due to the afflux of monocytic phagocytes into the inflammatory focus, rapid resorption of detritis and normalisation of correlation between contents of matrix proteinases and their inhibitors, stimulation of stromal cornea keratinocytes migration and their proliferation characterize repair of postburn defects in transplantation of the stromal equivalent. Repair against the background of stromal equivalent transplantation is of a histotypical character: collagen gel organizes and serves the basis for migration of the cornea fibroblasts and temporary matrix for growing new epithelium, while restored basal membrane is a derivative of cornea epithelium.

[Repair of corneal defects using tissue engineering].

We propose to treat deep corneal burns by grafting a living stromal equivalent, since keratocyte death and stromal destruction are the main factors of ulceration and destruction of the eye. A technique was developed for isolation and grafting a living stromal equivalent. Twenty one patients with deep corneal defects were treated.