Iranian researchers grow world’s first living skin with blood supply
Two Iranian scientists working at the University of Queensland in Australia have, for the first time, grown human skin in a laboratory complete with its own blood supply.
The breakthrough, carried out at the Frazer Institute in Brisbane by Dr. Abbas Shafiee and Professor Kiarash Khosrotehrani, used stem cells to create a replica of human skin containing blood vessels, capillaries, hair follicles, multiple tissue layers and immune cells, Mehr News Agency reported.
Researchers say the engineered skin could transform graft surgery, regenerative medicine and the treatment of chronic inflammatory diseases.
“This is the most life-like skin model developed anywhere in the world,” Shafiee said, noting the project took six years and was done in collaboration with Metro North Health. “It will allow us to study diseases and test treatments more accurately.”
Until now, scientists studying skin disorders and new therapies faced significant limits. The new model, which Shafiee described as “closely mimicking real human skin,” is expected to open the door to testing treatments for wounds, burns and complex dermatological conditions under far more realistic conditions.
The team reprogrammed human skin cells into stem cells, then grew miniature versions known as skin organoids. Using the same method, they created blood vessels and integrated them into the growing tissue. The result was lab-grown skin that developed “layers, follicles, pigments, nerves and, most importantly, its own blood vessels,” Shafiee said.
Khosrotehrani said the innovation could greatly improve outcomes for patients needing grafts and help push forward therapies for psoriasis, atopic dermatitis, scleroderma and a range of genetic diseases.
“Skin grafts are often used to treat severe wounds and burns, but they can be limited in effectiveness and carry infection risks,” he said. “This model gives us the chance to make those treatments safer and more effective.”