The development, validation, and characterization of an ex-vivo porcine full thickness skin model for the study of the subcutaneous compartment

This dissertation details the creation, validation, and characterization of a porcine ex-vivo culture model to study subcuteneous tissue. The viability of the model was assessed over seven days of culture by digestion and the proliferation and death of cells was monitored by immunohistochmeical labelling and image analysis. The model was then used in a timecourse proteomics experiment to characterize the effect of culture on subcutaneous proteome. The model was then compared to a commercially available human ex-vivo model with respect to viability and changes to the subcutaneous proteome.