Reconstructed Human Epidermis (Living 3D Skin Tissue)
Living, metabolically active 3D human epidermal tissue on culture inserts, delivered on a weekly production cadence.
| Category | Ready-to-Use 3D Tissue Models |
|---|---|
| Unit | One kit (standard EPI-200 kit = 24 tissues) or one tissue insert |
| Lead time | 1-3 weeks, constrained to the supplier's weekly Monday production and shipping cadence |
| Pricing | By quotation |
| Provenance | Partner manufactured |
| Data current | 2026-09-01 |
Description
Multi-layer reconstructed human epidermis grown at an air-liquid interface from normal human keratinocytes, shipped alive and metabolically active. This is the reference case for the entire Wetware World thesis: living human tissue manufactured centrally in lots and mailed to a stranger on a schedule. MatTek's 2025 EpiDerm technical specification, read directly, confirms the operating parameters — a standard EPI-200 kit is 24 tissues; formats are 9 mm and 22 mm individual inserts plus 96-well HTS plates on a 0.4 micron pore substrate; histology is 8-12 cell layers plus stratum corneum; shipment is at 4 C on medium-supplemented agarose gels every Monday, with Thursday possible on special request; US delivery is Tuesday morning by FedEx priority and international delivery Tuesday to Thursday; and shelf life including transit is up to 4 days at 4 C. Media variants are genuinely customisable — phenol-red-free, antibiotic-free, anti-fungal-free and hydrocortisone-free tissues are produced with the agent removed at least 3 days before shipment — but tissue geometry is not. Pricing is not published on the vendor site and distributor listings show 'Inquiry' rather than a number.
Why this is hard to buy today
There is no price anywhere on the public internet, and the product is only orderable against a weekly production calendar most first-time buyers do not know exists, so the gap between wanting the tissue and receiving it is a sales cycle rather than a checkout.
What you must specify
A quote cannot be produced without these. Anything you leave open, a supplier will assume — usually expensively.
| # | Parameter |
|---|---|
| 01 | Format (9 mm insert / 22 mm insert / 96-well HTS) |
| 02 | Number of tissues and number of lots |
| 03 | Media variant (standard, phenol-red-free, antibiotic-free, anti-fungal-free, hydrocortisone-free) |
| 04 | Pigmented vs non-pigmented (melanocyte-containing) tissue |
| 05 | Full-thickness (with dermal compartment) vs epidermis only |
| 06 | Required delivery date, aligned to the weekly ship cadence |
| 07 | Destination country and customs handling |
Quality documentation
Typically available with this item. What actually ships is confirmed on the quotation, per supplier.
- Lot-level release testing by the manufacturer
- Sterility check on production media and on the shipping agarose gel
- Pathogen screening: cells negative for HIV, hepatitis B and hepatitis C by PCR
- Histology specification (8-12 viable cell layers plus stratum corneum)
- Lot number traceability across kits within a lot
Candidate suppliers
Organisations we have identified as capable. Listing does not imply a partnership, an endorsement, or that they have agreed to quote.
| Organisation | Basis for inclusion |
|---|---|
| MatTek (Sartorius) | Ships living, metabolically active 3D human epithelial tissue. EpiDerm technical specification PDF (2025) confirms: standard EPI-200 kit = 24 tissues; 9 mm and 22 mm inserts plus 96-well HTS; shipped at 4 C on medium-supplemented agarose gels; shipment every Monday; Tuesday AM FedEx priority delivery in US; 4-day shelf life including transit. No public price. |
Sources
doc WW-TM-42266 · rev 2026-09-01 · research use only · prices indicative and not binding until quoted in writing