Targeting the Complexity of In Vitro Skin Models: A Review of Cutting-Edge Developments

Skin in vitro models offer much promise for research, testing drugs, cosmetics, and medical devices, reducing animal testing and extensive clinical trials. There are several in vitro approaches to mimicking human skin behavior, ranging from simple cell monolayer to complex organotypic and bioengineered 3-dimensional models. Some have been approved for preclinical studies in cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, and chemicals. However, development of physiologically reliable in vitro human skin models remains in its infancy. This review reports on advances in in vitro complex skin models to study skin homeostasis, aging, and skin disease.