Skin Grafts and Biologic Skin Substitutes
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Skin is the largest organ of the human body, representing approximately 16% of the total body weight. While the functions of protection and thermoregulation are well recognized, skin also has important metabolic functions in protein and vitamin D metabolism. The human body produces the greatest amount of vitamin D in the epidermal layer of the skin. In addition to providing a physical barrier to pathogenic organisms, skin functions as an active immune organ with distinctive antigenic properties that play a significant role with particular regard to composite tissue allotransplantation
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@parambrata The ultimate success of a skin graft, or its "take," depends on nutrient uptake and vascular ingrowth from the recipient bed, which occurs in 3 phases. The first phase takes place during the first 24-48 hours. The graft is initially bound to the recipient site through formation of a fibrin layer and undergoes diffusion of nutrients by capillary action from the recipient bed by a process called plasmatic imbibition. The second phase involves the process of inosculation, in which the donor and recipient end capillaries are aligned and establish a vascular network.