Professor Jin Yan from
China's Fourth Military Medical University carefully shows people
the milky white adhesive film, with a diameter of 20 centimeters,
contained within a cultivation dish on Monday, December 17, 2007.
(Photo: Xinhua)
Expert shows the artificial
skin on Monday, December 17, 2007. (Photo: xawb.com)
Chinese scientists have developed a new kind of artificial skin
which has significant clinical benefits for patients in need of a
skin transplant.
Doctors have long dreamed that one day they could take out a
piece of artificial skin stored in the refrigerator and cure
patients with large areas of damaged skin. Now, that dream has come
true.
Professor Jin Yan from China's Fourth Military Medical
University told Xi'an Evening Post on Monday that his
university has developed such a kind of artificial skin.
At an exhibition on Monday, Chinese experts carefully showed
people the milky white adhesive film, with a diameter of 20
centimeters, contained within a cultivation dish.
So far, the United States is the only country with the
technology to produce artificial skin. However, now, the Fourth
Military Medical University of China is also able to assist the
nation’s burn victims.
Professor Jin Yan touted that the artificial skin has two
layers, the epidermis and dermis, with active cells which can grow
quickly along with the original human skin without the immune
system rejecting it.
China's State Food and Drug Administration has ratified
certificates for the development of the new artificial skin.
The professor said that there are over 15 million people
afflicted with burnt skin and ulcers every year in China, with an
estimated 3.5 million people already needing a skin transplant.
Before the advent of artificial skins, in most cases, a skin
donor was needed, otherwise, doctors had to transplant the
patients' own skin from one area to another.
(CRI December 19, 2007)
