Animal testing has long been utilized in various fields such as medicine, cosmetology, and space development, but due to unethical concerns, alternatives are gaining traction. Episkin, an artificial skin designed to mimic human skin, is becoming a powerful alternative to animal testing, especially in Europe, where its use is expanding.
The use of animals in science has long been practiced in a variety of fields, including medicine, cosmetology, and space development. Animal testing has contributed greatly to scientific advancement and is expected to continue to do so for many years to come. However, as the quality of human life has improved and people’s livelihoods have become more stable, people have become concerned about the welfare of animals beyond human convenience and comfort. North America and Europe, which made early progress, have high animal welfare standards and are helping to spread the animal welfare movement around the world.
One of the earliest forms of animal testing to come to an end is in the field of cosmetology, or the development of cosmetics. This is because the cruelty of animal testing for cosmetics development by companies has been exposed in the media, leading to increased criticism and opposition. Thanks to the persistence of animal protection groups and individuals, on March 11, 2013, the European Union (EU) legally banned animal testing in cosmetics. This legislation not only banned animal testing for cosmetics development, but also banned the sale of cosmetics developed through animal testing in Europe. The ban was made possible by the introduction of alternative testing methods.
There are two main types of cosmetic testing. There are two main types of testing in cosmetics: the first is when new products are developed, and the second is when finished products are tested for efficacy. Both are repeated over a period of time, which is why many animals are used to develop a product. For example, skin sensitization tests to determine if the product causes irritation such as itching or inflammation, eye irritation tests to determine the reaction of the product when it enters the eyes, and repeated toxicity tests to evaluate toxicity during long-term use.
An example of an alternative test is the use of Episkin, an artificial skin that replaces the traditional rabbit ears, rabbit eyes, rats, and other animals used in cosmetic development and efficacy testing. Episkin is an artificial skin made from skin cells that mimics real human skin, making it a suitable model to replace animal testing.
Episkin contains all the major components of human skin: subcutaneous tissue, dermis, and epidermis. Testing on the epidermis is important because cosmetics act primarily on the epidermis, and most are not absorbed into the dermis. The epidermis is made up of keratinocytes, melanocytes, and Langerhans cells, which protect the skin and provide immunity. However, the epidermis alone does not provide an accurate picture of the effects of cosmetics on the human body, so artificial skin used in substitution testing must include the subcutaneous tissue, dermis, and epidermis, similar to the structure of the skin. Episkin has all three components, making it a great alternative to animal testing.
Because Episkin is made using real skin cells, it can form a structure similar to human skin. The skin cells used to make Episkin are obtained through consensual donations. The skin cells are grown in a culture medium containing collagen gel, and after they have grown to a certain size, they are immersed in a mixture of water, sugar, and amino acids. The samples are then exposed to the atmosphere for about 10 days to form a surface that resembles real skin.
The advantage of Episkin is not only that it replaces animal testing, which involves the sacrifice of animals, but also that it can mimic a variety of skin conditions in humans. Unlike humans, animals are unable to express different skin colors and aging states, but Episkin can emulate many of the characteristics of human skin under different conditions. For example, skin with different aging states depending on the level of exposure to ultraviolet (UV) light, and different skin colors depending on the amount of melanocytes injected. This could contribute to the development of cosmetics that are suitable for skin colors of different ethnicities.
In addition to replacing unethical animal testing, Episkin, which is more similar to human skin than animal skin, is playing an important role in cosmetic testing. In fact, in countries where animal testing is banned or restricted, artificial skin models like Episkin are commonly used. Episkin has proven its usefulness in tests with conventional cosmetics, showing clear differences in skin irritation and allergic reactions. For this reason, there is much hope that alternative models like Episkin will become more widely used in countries that still use animal testing.
