Aim: The aim of this study was to investigate the mechanism of promoted skin wound healing in skin defects with primary cultured oral mucosal keratinocytes. Materials and methods: Thirty adult female nude mice weighing 20+/-2g were used for the experiment. Primary cultured and suspended oral mucosal keratinocytes, labeled with BrdU, were scattered onto 1.5cm*1.5cm sized full thickness skin defects in the experimental group(N=15), and no grafts were placed the control group(N=15). They were sacrificed at 3 days, 1 week and 2 weeks after the treatment respectively. Histological examination of each wounds were performed to review the healing progress on measuring the length from the wound margin to regenerating epithelial front. The role of keratinocytes were assessed by double immunohistochemical staining with Anti-BrdU and Anti-cytokeratin AE1/3. Results: In the experimental group the wound was completely covered with regenerating epithelia in 2 weeks, but partially regenerated in the control group. The immunohistochemical studies unexpectedly reveal that most of regenerating epithelial cells were induced from marginal epithelium of the margin, not from the scattered keratinocytes. Conclusion: We could successfully confirm that graft of primary cultured oral mucosal keratinocytes promotes the regeneration of skin defects.ope
