Abstract: AimTo reconstruct of a tissue engineering skin in vitro for the study of the use of drug percutaneous penetration and metabolism. MethodsDermal fibroblasts were embedded in collagen type I. HaCaT cells were seeded on the top of the gel. The skin was generated through air-liquid interface culture. Effects of various culture media on tissues morphology were investigated. Sections of the cultured skin were stained with hematoxylin and eosin and examined under microscope. Permeation and metabolism of ketoprofen and its isopropyl ester through the cultured skin were investigated. ResultsHaCaT cells initially developed a multilayer epithelium at the air-liquid interface, but it showed a parakeratotic stratum corneum. Vitamin C enhanced cell proliferation obviously. Vitamin D₃ promoted cell differentiation. And estradiol showed little effect on the tissue engineering skin. Ketoprofen isopropyl ester was hydrolyzed into ketoprofen when penetrated through the cultured skin, which resembled in the skin cell homogenates metabolism. ConclusionCultured at the air-liquid interface, HaCaT cells developed a parakeratotic mutilayer epithelium. Enzyme activity was reserved. This cultured skin could serve as an appropriate model for drug percutaneous metabolism and skin irritation.