[Keratinocytes from cell culture for therapy of skin defects. Review and personal results]

The development of a method to cultivate and expand human keratinocytes in vitro by Rheinwald and Green in the mid-1970s can be considered a milestone in the search for the ideal biological skin substitute. For more than 10 years, cultured keratinocytes have now been used for the treatment of various wounds. In this paper the present status knowledge and the authors own experience after treating 29 patients are discussed.