Blank Spots in the Map of Human Skin: The Challenge for Xenotransplantation

The review "Blank Spots in the Map of Human Skin: The Challenge for Xenotransplantation" discusses the limitations and potential of xenotransplantation, specifically human-to-mouse, in studying human skin. The study of human skin is restricted due to factors such as genetic, age, and individual differences between donors, and the inability to trace changes over time. Xenotransplantation of human skin into laboratory animals, a practice that has evolved over the past 50 years, offers a way to study human skin in a more controlled and replicable manner. The document also discusses the structure and function of the human skin, focusing on the epidermis, dermis, hair follicles, and wound healing. It highlights the role of dermal fibroblasts, particularly Engrailed 1 (En1)/CD26-positive cells, in wound healing and fibrosis progression. The elimination of these fibroblasts resulted in no scarring and significant hair growth by 30 days. The document concludes by highlighting the potential of human skin xenografting combined with a single cell approach to advance our understanding of human skin development, self-renewal, and regeneration.