Growth of Human Skin on the Hamster

• Published in: Journal of investigative dermatology Vol. 57; no. 1; pp. 66 - 71
• Main Authors: Kreider, John W, Haft, Howard M, Roode, Peter B
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Elsevier Inc 01.07.1971
• Subjects: Animals; Cell Transformation, Neoplastic - immunology; Cheek; Cortisone - therapeutic use; Cricetinae; Female; Graft Rejection; Humans; Immunosuppressive Agents - therapeutic use; Male; Methods; Rabbits; Skin - anatomy & histology; Skin Neoplasms - immunology; Skin Neoplasms - pathology; Skin Transplantation; Transplantation Immunology; Transplantation, Heterologous; Tumor Virus Infections - immunology; Tumor Virus Infections - pathology
• ISSN: 0022-202X; 1523-1747
• DOI: 10.1111/1523-1747.ep12292077

In the present study a method was developed which permits human skin to be placed in a readily accessible orthotopic position on the hamster. The hamster cheekpouch, an “immunologically privileged” tissue, diminishes the probability of rejection of foreign grafts. The hamster's own cheekpouch is excised and grafted to the lateral thoracic wall. After complete healing, grafts of human skin are placed in a bed cut into but not through the subcuticular tissue of the exteriorized cheekpouch. About 33% of the human skin grafts will survive for as long as 6–8 weeks without immunosuppressive treatment. With systemic cortisone administration, 50% of the grafts survive at least 14 weeks. Rabbit skin infected with Shope papilloma virus and grafted in the same manner almost always develops into typical Shope rabbit papillomas. Histotypical morphology of both normal human skin, rabbit skin, and rabbit papilloma is retained. This may prove adaptable to the study of the response of human skin to such agents as carcinogenic chemicals, irradiation, oncogenic viruses, and cytolytic viruses.