Characterization of a New Reconstructed Full Thickness Skin Model, T-Skin, and its Application for Investigations of Anti-Aging Compounds

Background: We have characterized a new reconstructed full-thickness skin model, T-Skin, compared to normal human skin (NHS) and evaluated its use in testing anti-aging compounds. Methods: The structure and layer-specific markers were compared with NHS using histological and immunohistological staining. In anti-aging experiments, T-Skin(TM) was exposed to retinol (10 mu M) or vitamin C (200 mu M) for 5 days, followed by immunohistological staining evaluation. Results: T-Skin exhibits a well stratified, differentiated and self-renewing epidermis with a dermal compartment of functional fibroblasts. Epidermal (cytokeratin 10, transglutaminase 1), dermo-epidermal junction (DEJ) (laminin 5, collagen-IV, collagen VII) and dermally-located (fibrillin 1, procollagen I) biomarkers were similar to those in NHS. Treatment of T-Skin with retinol decreased the expression of differentiation markers, cytokeratin 10 and transglutaminase 1 and increased the proliferation marker, Ki67, in epidermis basal-layer cells. Vitamin C increased the expression of DEJ components, collagen IV and VII and dermal procollagen 1. Conclusions: T-Skin exhibits structural and biomarker location characteristics similar to NHS. Responses of T-Skin to retinol and vitamin C treatment were consistent with those of their known anti-aging effects. T-Skin is a promising model to investigate responses of epidermal, DEJ and dermal regions to new skin anti-ageing compounds.