Island Grafts: A Model for Studying Skin Regeneration in Isolation from other Processes

Abstract

This chapter introduces the concept of an island graft, in which large full-thickness skin wounds are created with a small treatment area in the center. The island graft is a simple method for demonstrating the effect of epithelial derivatives on wound regeneration without using sophisticated biologic or genetic markers. In the absence of disease, mammalian wounds of the dermis close by scarring and contraction. The island graft permits observation of the test material within the wound without interference from the periphery for several days until wound contraction and epithelialization of the surrounding skin encroach upon the study area.