German scientists have published new research that shows how to grow genetically modified skin cells using stem cells.  They managed to grow the skin and use it to treat a young boy with a life-threatening condition.  The research was recently published in the journal Nature.  The findings could revolutionise the way that burn victims and people with severe skin diseases are treated.

The researchers tested their treatment on a 7-year-old child who has a genetic disease called junctional epidermolysis bullosa (JEB).  This condition makes the skin very fragile and prone to blistering or tearing.

By 2015, the boy’s condition was so severe that he had skin loss to 60% of his body and was on morphine for the pain.  He was also being treated with antibiotics to fight off persistent infections.  The doctors had previously tried grafting skin from the child’s father, but the procedure was unsuccessful.

The child’s doctors began looking for potential treatments and read about experimental procedures that create new skin cells using stem cells.  They contacted the authors of the paper, Dr. Michele De Luca and Dr. Reggio Emilia.  The authors immediately flew to Germany to discuss the patient’s case and decided to proceed with the treatment.

Dr. De Luca harvested cells from a small patch of healthy skin on the boy’s body.  He then took those cells into the lab, where they were genetically modified so they did not contain the gene mutation that causes JEB.  The genetically modified skin cells were then grown in the lab.

Once they have grown a sufficient quantity of skin, the doctors performed three surgeries to replace 80% of the child’s skin.  It was mostly used to cover his back and arms, where he had suffered extensive damage.

The boy had to stay in an intensive care unit for 8 more months while he recovered.  The results of the treatment astonished the researchers.  The skin was firmly attached to the underlying dermis and had hair follicles in some places.  It could be treated like normal skin and appeared free of the condition.

These exciting findings mean that doctors may soon be using skin cells to treat many more people with severe burns or skin diseases.

Source: Genetically modified skin grown from stem cells saved a 7-year-old boy’s life

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