A reliable and cost-effective in vitro assay of skin viability for skin banks and burn centers.

The tetrazolium salt, MTT (3-[4,5-Dimethylthiazol-2-yl]-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide), was used to evaluate the viability of fresh native human skin and cryopreserved human skin under a wide variety of conditions. Viability of fresh and cryopreserved skin was determined with our modification of the MTT assay, and compared with the well-described tetrazolium reductase assay. The MTT assay provides a precise and reproducible index of viability for both fresh and cryopreserved skin. In comparison, the tetrazolium reductase assay (1) is subject to higher levels of variability and, (2) underestimates the viability of fresh native skin. The precision, simplicity, and economy of the MTT assay support its utility in the routine assessment of skin viability in skin banks, burn centers, and skin biology research units.