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Richard Andreyo

ENG 102

Assignment Final

11 Sept. 2017

Artificial Skin

Artificial skin is skin harvested in a laboratory used as skin replacement for people who

have suffered skin trauma. Skin is a major organ of our body to sustain life. The importance of

skin is providing a protective barrier, helps regulate body temperature, and acts as a sensory

organ. Skin damaged by severe burns, mechanical skin trauma or skin diseases will need the

artificial skin for transplantation. For many patients, skin grafting is not possible because they

have little healthy skin left to graft. Bioengineered skin developed in the lab using small samples

of human cells is a new solution. The benefits of using the artificial skin for scientific testing are

low chance of immune response, more humane, and uniform samples outweighs the problems of

being expensive, and limitations of skin functions.

Bioengineered skins harvested in labs have a low chance of immune response or

infection, more humane, and uniform samples. The skin cells reproduced from human cells

instead of animals reduce the risk of rejections from bodys immune system. By creating an

artificial skin in a lab, the risk of rejection is reduced and eliminating unnecessary painful re-

graft procedures to patients. Bioengineered skin cells mean less animal testing performed. The

lab scientists are engineering uniform tissues samples and easier to reproduce unlimited supply
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from the labs. The artificial skin allows for a reduction in scarring and grows with the body to

naturally regenerate its skin while protecting artificial skin.

Finally, artificial skins disadvantages are limitations of skin function impairment and

expensive. The limitation with skin grafts cells is the lost ability to feel sensations and pressure

in the affected body part. An artificial skin cell does not have the sweat glands and hair follicles

of the real skin. Cadaver or animal skin tissues are prone to rejection which requires more

surgery to replace rejected skin. Skin cell development is expensive to produce, and the cost falls

on the consumer if insurance doesnt cover the procedure. Artificial skin cells are fragile with

long recovery time.

In conclusion, there are some imperfections to bioengineered skin cells, but the

advantages overcome the disadvantages. The risk of tissue rejection decreased with

bioengineered lab cells instead of utilizing animal cells. Artificial skins are more uniformed and

can reproduce unlimited supply from labs. A disadvantage is an expense of producing the cells

for skin grafting. Another disadvantage of artificial skin is the loss ability of feeling sensations

and pressure in the affected body. The best part is no animals harmed with bio-engineered skin

grafting.
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Word Cited

Joch, Alan. Saving Skin. MIT Technology Review, MIT Technology Review, 21 Oct. 2012,

www.technologyreview.com/s/401352/saving-skin/.