Professor Jin Yan from China's Fourth Military Medical University carefully shows people the milky white adhesive film, with a diameter of 20 centimeters, contained within a cultivation dish on Monday, December 17, 2007. (Photo: Xinhua)

Expert shows the artificial skin on Monday, December 17, 2007. (Photo: xawb.com)

Chinese scientists have developed a new kind of artificial skin which has significant clinical benefits for patients in need of a skin transplant.

Doctors have long dreamed that one day they could take out a piece of artificial skin stored in the refrigerator and cure patients with large areas of damaged skin. Now, that dream has come true.

Professor Jin Yan from China's Fourth Military Medical University told Xi'an Evening Post on Monday that his university has developed such a kind of artificial skin.

At an exhibition on Monday, Chinese experts carefully showed people the milky white adhesive film, with a diameter of 20 centimeters, contained within a cultivation dish.

So far, the United States is the only country with the technology to produce artificial skin. However, now, the Fourth Military Medical University of China is also able to assist the nation’s burn victims.

Professor Jin Yan touted that the artificial skin has two layers, the epidermis and dermis, with active cells which can grow quickly along with the original human skin without the immune system rejecting it.

China's State Food and Drug Administration has ratified certificates for the development of the new artificial skin.

The professor said that there are over 15 million people afflicted with burnt skin and ulcers every year in China, with an estimated 3.5 million people already needing a skin transplant.

Before the advent of artificial skins, in most cases, a skin donor was needed, otherwise, doctors had to transplant the patients' own skin from one area to another.

(CRI December 19, 2007)