Feasibility of Repairing Full-Thickness Skin Defects by iPSC-Derived Epithelial Stem Cells Seeded on a Human Acellular Amniotic Membrane

The study demonstrated that induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC)-derived epithelial stem cells (EpSCs) seeded on a human acellular amniotic membrane (hAAM) could effectively repair full-thickness skin defects in nude mice. iPSCs were reprogrammed from urinary cells and differentiated into EpSCs, which adhered to hAAM and promoted skin regeneration. The composite of hAAM and iPSC-derived EpSCs significantly accelerated wound healing and facilitated the formation of new hair follicles, indicating its potential as a viable skin substitute. However, challenges such as increased apoptosis of induced cells and maintaining the moisture of amniotic membranes were noted, suggesting the need for further research to improve cell proliferation stability and scaffold performance.