With Revivo’s 4D reconstructed skin, in vitro testing is far more accurate, cost-efficient, ethical, and secure.
As the demand for rapid, sustainable, economical skin testing continues to grow, Revivo Biosystems answers with a full-thickness 4D reconstructed skin model. Made with only human cells, REVSkin™ is grown via the organ-on-a-chip platform – credit-card-sized devices that save copious amounts of biomaterials – to achieve vastly improved skin structure. Utilizing next-generation technology, the system mimics the function of blood flow to provide nutrient and oxygen delivery, and to remove waste products. Moreover, Revivo adheres to cruelty-free practices and created a serum-free media. Below are five ways this revolutionary system can transform your R&D:
1. You eliminate the variability of skin explants.
In vitro permeation testing is critical to understanding the efficacy of drug delivery, thereby playing a vital role in the development of new formulations. “When we perform a series of efficacy studies, it is often difficult to obtain a large number of skin explants from the same donor,” explains Dr. Sébastien Teissier, Head of Ex Vivo and In Vitro Testing at Revivo Biosystems. “With REVSkin™, we can create human copies of the donor skin in the lab to suppress this variability. Experiments using skin cells from the same donor can be planned months in advance without changing conditions, thanks to the standardized production of REVSkin™."
2. You move beyond topical applications.
A microfluidic system allows REVSkin™ to mimic the systemic and subcutaneous administration of drugs, nutraceuticals and metabolites. Use it to investigate how certain substances, such as hormones, affect the internal expression of skin cells when added to the serum-free media. By simulating a realistic intake through the microfluidic system, REVSkin™ makes exploring the properties and benefits of nutraceuticals easier than ever.
3. You add depth to the research.
A primary advantage of the simulated blood flow is that it allows researchers to measure soluble molecules – such as cytokines – and growth factors, determining not only the concentration of compounds but also the manner in which they are released over time. “Whatever is released by the REVSkin™ is dissolved in the media and automatically collected in 96 well plates,” Dr. Teissier asserts. “In this manner, we can gain a comprehensive understanding of how compounds and metabolites behave over time and observe their kinetics.”
4. Your TEER assays are easier than ever.
TEER assays are difficult to perform on classic 3D reconstructed full thickness skin models. Because the dermal matrix of REVSkin™ does not contract, the entire surface is covered by the stratum corneum barrier, facilitating reliable TEER assays. Over time, it is possible to determine the increase in resistance during barrier formation and to observe the eventual differences due to experimental conditions and tested samples.
5. You can prove your anti-aging skincare claims.
REVSkin™ can simulate chemical (e.g. H2O2) or physical (e.g. UV) damage, providing a clearer understanding of the protective or reparative effects of a compound and its anti-aging properties. As REVSkin™ is fully cultivated in a chip, it is possible to directly observe the effect of a compound on skin formation over time. A significant feature of the skin tissues is their fibrin-based matrix; thus, all collagen present is naturally produced by REVSkin™‘s human fibroblasts, rather than animal-derived. This is extremely beneficial for clients who wish to observe the early efficacy markers of their dermo-cosmetic ingredients on collagen production throughout the various stages of skin development. The effects can be observed in the media over time, or by immunostaining at the end of the experiment and examining the expression markers.
A look into the future