Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery · 1993 · 75 citations · 0 references
MedicineCell BiologyPlastic SurgeryDermatologic SurgeryDermatopathologyHistologyBreast ReconstructionCell ExpansionSkin DevelopmentSkin RegenerationSkin SurgerySkin Tissue EngineeringEpidermal Cell ExpansionKeratinocyte ExpansionMitotic Activity AssessmentMitotic Count EvaluationMitotic FiguresNet GainSkin ExpansionTissue Expansion In Reconstruction
In 20 patients subjected to breast reconstruction by means of tissue expansion, a skin biopsy was obtained at the vertex of the breast before and the day after expansion. Samples were incubated in [3H]thymidine, and the number of labeled cells were counted. A statistically significant rise in the number of labeled basal and suprabasal keratinocytes was seen after expansion. The findings suggest a net gain of tissue not only by stretching but also by formation of new tissue generated by tissue expansion.