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Scratch Migration Assay and Dorsal Skinfold Chamber for In Vitro and In Vivo Analysis of Wound Healing
Published on: September 26, 2019
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Methods to study differences in cell mobility during skin wound healing in vitro
Hanneke N Monsuur1, Mireille A Boink2, Ester M Weijers3
1Department of Dermatology, VU University Medical Center, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
Journal of Biomechanics
|February 24, 2016
Summary
Human in vitro models offer a way to study wound healing without animal testing. These complex models investigate cell movement for better skin repair and scar-free healing.
Area of Science:
- Biomedical Engineering
- Dermatology
- Cell Biology
Background:
- Human skin physiology differs from animal models, complicating wound healing research.
- Ethical restrictions on animal testing necessitate alternative methods for therapeutic compound evaluation.
- The 3Rs (reduction, refinement, replacement) drive the development of human in vitro wound healing models.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop and validate diverse human in vitro models for studying wound healing.
- To investigate the migration and behavior of key skin cells (keratinocytes, melanocytes, fibroblasts, endothelial cells) in wound repair.
- To establish a platform for testing novel compounds aimed at promoting enhanced and scar-free wound healing.
Main Methods:
- Utilized monolayer scratch assays to assess random cell migration (fibroblasts, endothelial cells) with growth factors (EGF, bFGF).
- Employed chemotactic assays to study directed fibroblast migration towards CCL5.
- Incorporated fibrin gel models for endothelial sprouting analysis in response to bFGF/VEGF, simulating matrix dynamics.
- Developed tissue-engineered skin models to examine epidermal expansion and dermal fibroblast activity.
Main Results:
- Demonstrated the utility of various in vitro assays for evaluating cell mobility in wound healing contexts.
- Successfully modeled keratinocyte and melanocyte epidermal expansion over a fibroblast-populated dermis.
- Showcased the capacity of engineered skin models to study fibroblast migration within the dermis.
- Validated the models' potential for assessing compounds influencing wound healing processes.
Conclusions:
- Human in vitro models provide a robust and ethically sound alternative to animal testing for wound healing research.
- These models effectively replicate key cellular events in skin repair, including cell migration and tissue regeneration.
- The developed platform facilitates the investigation of novel therapeutic strategies for improved and scar-free wound healing.
