Influence of glycosaminoglycans on the collagen sponge component of a bilayer artificial skin.

A bilayer artificial skin composed of a silicone membrane and a collagen sponge layer containing glycosaminoglycans (GAGs) was first developed by Yannas and Burke. They reported that GAGs contained in the collagen sponge layer contributed to the function of the artificial skin. In an attempt to assess the effect of GAGs in the collagen sponge layer, the electron microscopic structure, mechanical strength of collagen sponges, and cell proliferation were examined in vitro, using four kinds of collagen sponges containing: no GAG, chondroitin 6-sulphate (C6S), dermatan sulphate (DER), and hyaluronic acid (HYA). The results indicated that: (1) addition of GAGs scarcely affected the mechanical structure of collagen sponges; (2) addition of C6S and DER reinforced mechanical strength, while addition of HYA did not; (3) addition of C6S and DER significantly decreased cell proliferation.