Are you a fan of the incredible hulk? Ever wanted to be just like him in all of his green glory? Here’s your chance! Professor Tomas Egana from the Institute of Biological Engineering at the University of Chile created the concept of algae-infused artificial skin.1
As seen in figure 1, traditional artificial skin grafts use materials such as collagen, or alternative sources like bovine skin.2 This traditional artificial skin has one major problem – it does not contain blood vessels to transport oxygen through it, making it more difficult for the cells to survive. Due to lack of vascularization, it normally takes weeks in order for new blood vessels to form in the skin graft.3 Until these new blood vessels can be produced to transport oxygen to the site of growth, the skin essentially cannot “breathe”, making it vulnerable to infection.3 The lack of oxygen access, hypoxia, is the most fundamental problem of tissue engineering.3
The green skin solves this problem by integrating algae into the the graft to allow it to produce oxygen.1 Researchers believe that if the new skin can service its own metabolic need for oxygen, it could contribute to the field of biomaterial-centric regenerative medicine.3 This technique might even permit researchers to use a thicker layer of artificial skin on burn patients for instance, because the skin’s own oxygen supply would support its survival.1 Professor Egana believes that in particular cases, this algae-based skin solution could even help patients prevent amputation.1
The main ingredient in the green skin is microalgae – a microscopic type of algae that can be found in freshwater aquatic systems such as ponds. An example of microalgae that could be used in the green skin is chlorella.2 The way the green skin works is that the microalgae within it uses the process of photosynthesis in order to produce oxygen, which is then provided to the skin scaffold to sustain it.1
The future of the game-changing green grafts lies in the use of natural resources and capabilities of various organisms in human medicine. The results of the experiment for the skin’s creation demonstrate the potential for the use of photosynthetic biomaterials in tissue engineering, and the possibility of the use of photosynthetic cells to serve as a source of oxygen in medical treatments.3 The algae itself does not possess any known disease causing viruses and therefore, as of now, there is no major obstacle to the implementation of this technology in human healing.3
Permitting that this is indeed an incredible discovery and will have major impacts on the medical field, its progress must be followed with cautious excitement. The treatment has not yet gone through any clinical trials and therefore its feasibility and safety have not been certified for human use. It will be months, or even years, before the green skin may have regular use in the medical field. Nonetheless, it is a hopeful discovery for many who suffer from injuries needing the use of skin grafts.
References:
1 Reuters. (2016, December 20). Hulk-green artificial skin developed from algae. Retrieved March 06, 2017, from http://www.gmanetwork.com/news/story/593136/scitech/science/hulk-green-artificial-skin-developed-from-algae
2 McCauley, B., Dr. (2017, January 08). Algae Provides “Life” To Artificial Skin. Retrieved March 06, 2017, from http://blog.watershed.net/2017/01/08/algae-provide-life-artificial-skin/
3 Sealy, C. (2015, February 02). Algae breathe new life into tissue engineering. Retrieved March 06, 2017, from http://www.materialstoday.com/biomaterials/news/algae-breathe-new-life-into-tissue-engineering/
4 Ojeda, K. (2014, March 10). The Fixation and Dressing for Meshed and Sheet Skin Graft. Retrieved March 06, 2017, from https://www.pinterest.com/pin/557109416377143910/