The invention relates to biomarkers in children's skin, in particular in the skin of infants, the expression of which changes when the skin is affected by atopic dermatitis. Such markers are particularly advantageous in that they allow the skin's response to atopic dermatitis to be monitored. The inventors have developed methods for evaluating the in vitro efficacy of formulations in preventing the effects of atopic dermatitis on a child's skin, using a skin model specifically capable of reproducing the characteristics of children's skin.

The present disclosure relates to an in-vitro method for identifying and analyzing ion channels and/or water channels and/or receptors of signal transduction, in which a three-dimensional sweat gland equivalent having from about 500 to about 500,000 sweat gland cells and a diameter of from about 100 to about 6,000 m is firstly provided and then any ion channels and/or water channels and/or receptors of signal transduction present in this equivalent are infected and analysed. In a further method step c) the influence of test substances on the proteins identified previously in step b) is examined. Since the three-dimensional sweat gland equivalents used in step a) comprise differently differentiated cells and portray the in-vivo situation well, the measurement data obtained with the in-vitro method as contemplated herein can be transferred well to the in-vivo situation.

The invention relates to a reconstructed scalp model, to the process for preparing it and to its use for evaluating the effect of cosmetic, pharmaceutical or dermatological topical products. The reconstructed scalp according to the invention may also be used for the preparation of the grafts intended for treating cutaneous scalp disorders.

A scaffold-stretching system includes at least one stretchable loading chamber configured to support a scaffold material and a supply of cells, such as human skin substitute cells, and is configured to allow for cultivation of a cellular three-dimensional scaffold; and a mechanical loading system is configured for application of cyclic and static uniaxial tensile mechanical loading on the cellular three-dimensional scaffold, and is configured to mimic the in vivo environment of musculoskeletal, cardiovascular, and other tissues that experience uniaxial strains.

The invention relates to a method for manufacturing a bio-ink by additive deposition, which comprises supplying: a first solution including between 5 and 40 wt. % gelatin; a second solution including between 15 and 35 .wt. % alginate; a third solution including between 1 and 15 wt. % fibrinogen, and optionally living cells in suspension; and creating a mixture including: around 35 to 65 vol. % of the first solution; around 15 to 35 vol. % of the second solution; and around 15 to 35 vol. % of the third solution, said proportions being selected so that they add up to 100%. Said bio-ink allows the additive deposition of objects that can be polymerised by means of a solution including calcium ions and thrombin. Said objects can be incubated and can be used as a substitute for body tissue, for example (with added fibroblasts) as skin substitute.

According to an embodiment, a method of producing artificial skin includes mixing fibroblasts and collagen to form a dermis simulating layer, applying keratinocytes on the dermis simulating layer and culturing the same, culturing the dermis simulating layer in a first medium that is a keratinocyte medium, and culturing the dermis simulating layer that is cultured in the first medium in a second medium including a DMEM medium and a F12 medium.

The present invention relates to models of reconstructed sensitive skin reproducing the features of sensitive skin, as well as to processes for obtaining such models. The present invention further relates to in vitro processes for testing formulations or active ingredients for the prevention or treatment of sensitive skin.

The disclosure is concerned among others with means and methods for obtaining endothelial cells and to means and methods for in vitro cell culture comprising endothelial cells and pericytes and/or smooth muscle cells derived from the pericytes. The endothelial cells or the pericytes and/or smooth muscle cells, or both, are preferably derived from in vitro differentiated pluripotent stem cells.

Disclosed are bioprinted, three-dimensional, biological skin tissues comprising: a dermal layer comprising dermal fibroblasts; and an epidermal layer comprising keratinocytes, the epidermal layer in contact with the dermal layer to form the three-dimensional, engineered, biological skin tissue. Also disclosed are arrays of engineered skin tissues and methods of making engineered skin tissues.

Provided is a novel method capable of producing an artificial skin model. A method for producing an artificial skin model includes: providing coated cells (1), each of which is obtained by covering the surface of a cell (3) with a coating film (2) containing an extracellular matrix component; forming a dermis tissue layer (7), in which the coated cells (1) are laminated, by culturing the coated cells (1); and forming an epidermis layer (12) by arranging epidermis cells (8) on the dermis tissue layer (7).