Brohem, Carla Ada Silva Cardeal, Laura BTiago, ManoelaSoengas, MSde Moraes Barros, Silvia BMaria-Engler, Silvya S2024-11-062024-11-062011-02Pigment Cell Melanoma Res . 2011 Feb;24(1):35-50.https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.12105/25451We are especially grateful to Dr. Monique Verhaegen (Dermatology Department, University of Michigan, USA), for the critical reading of the manuscript and her precious suggestions. This study was supported by FAPESP (2006/50479-7 and 2008/58817-4), CNPq, CAPES and PRP-USP. M. S. is supported by NIH R01 CA107237, CA125017; Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation SAF 20081950 and institutional grants from the Spanish Association against Cancer.Skin, the largest organ of the human body, is organized into an elaborate layered structure consisting mainly of the outermost epidermis and the underlying dermis. A subcutaneous adipose-storing hypodermis layer and various appendages such as hair follicles, sweat glands, sebaceous glands, nerves, lymphatics, and blood vessels are also present in the skin. These multiple components of the skin ensure survival by carrying out critical functions such as protection, thermoregulation, excretion, absorption, metabolic functions, sensation, evaporation management, and aesthetics. The study of how these biological functions are performed is critical to our understanding of basic skin biology such as regulation of pigmentation and wound repair. Impairment of any of these functions may lead to pathogenic alterations, including skin cancers. Therefore, the development of genetically controlled and well characterized skin models can have important implications, not only for scientists and physicians, but also for manufacturers, consumers, governing regulatory boards and animal welfare organizations. As cells making up human skin tissue grow within an organized three-dimensional (3D) matrix surrounded by neighboring cells, standard monolayer (2D) cell cultures do not recapitulate the physiological architecture of the skin. Several types of human skin recombinants, also called artificial skin, that provide this critical 3D structure have now been reconstructed in vitro. This review contemplates the use of these organotypic skin models in different applications, including substitutes to animal testing.engVoRhttp://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/artificial skinskin reconstructsskin equivalentsraftsorganotypical cultures3D modelsAttribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International2102939324135-50PIGMENT CELL & MELANOMA RESEARCHhttps://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC3021617/pdf/nihms-240997.pdfopen access