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Updated: Dec 31, 2025
In Vitro Model of Human Cutaneous Hypertrophic Scarring using Macromolecular Crowding
Published on: May 1, 2020
Heterogeneity of human fibroblasts isolated from hypertrophic scar
Raluca Ţuţuianu1, Ana Maria Roşca, Gabriela Florea
1Laboratory of Mesenchymal Stromal Progenitor Cells Therapy, Department of Regenerative Medicine, "Nicolae Simionescu" Institute of Cellular Biology and Pathology of the Romanian Academy, Bucharest, Romania; irina.titorencu@icbp.ro.
Insights
Fibroblasts in hypertrophic scars differ. Intralesional fibroblasts proliferate more, while perilesional fibroblasts show increased migration and myofibroblast presence, explaining varied treatment responses.
Area of Science:
- Dermatology
- Wound Healing Biology
- Cell Biology
Background:
- Hypertrophic scarring and keloids pose significant clinical and financial burdens.
- The underlying biological mechanisms of hypertrophic scarring are poorly understood.
- A clear characterization of hypertrophic scar fibroblasts is lacking.
Purpose of the Study:
- To comparatively characterize fibroblasts from different regions of hypertrophic scars.
- To investigate the distinct properties of intralesional and perilesional fibroblasts.
- To elucidate the cellular basis for variable therapeutic outcomes in hypertrophic scarring.
Main Methods:
- Isolation of fibroblasts from normal skin and hypertrophic scar tissues (n=4 each).
- Assessment of fibroblast proliferation and migration capacities (in vitro scratch test).
- Quantification of gene and protein expression for collagen I and fibronectin.
- Evaluation of myofibroblast presence (alpha-smooth muscle actin expression).
Main Results:
- Hypertrophic scar fibroblasts exist as distinct intralesional and perilesional populations.
- Intralesional fibroblasts exhibited increased proliferation and collagen I/fibronectin expression.
- Perilesional fibroblasts demonstrated enhanced migration and a higher percentage of myofibroblasts (α-SMAhigh).
Conclusions:
- The distinct properties of intralesional and perilesional fibroblasts offer insights into hypertrophic scar pathogenesis.
- These findings may explain the inconsistent efficacy of topical therapies for hypertrophic scars.
- Further research into fibroblast heterogeneity is crucial for developing targeted treatments.
Abstract:
Pathological wound healing states, such as hypertrophic scarring and keloids, represent a huge clinical and financial burden on healthcare system. The complex biological mechanisms occurring in hypertrophic scarring are still barely understood. To date, there is no satisfactory description of hypertrophic fibroblasts. Therefore, in the present study we focused on the comparatively characterization of the fibroblasts residing in different regions of hypertrophic scars. To achieve this aim, fibroblasts were isolated from normal skin samples (n=4) and hypertrophic scars (n=4). These cell populations were further were used for the evaluation of proliferation and migration capacity, for the gene and protein expression of extracellular matrix protein type I collagen and fibronectin and for the presence of myofibroblasts. Our results demonstrated that perilesional and intralesional fibroblasts isolated from hypertrophic scars could be considered as distinct populations, having different properties. Thus, the intralesional fibroblasts had an increased proliferation capacity and increased gene and protein expression of collagen I and fibronectin. However, the perilesional fibroblasts had augmented mobility as revealed by in vitro scratch test and contained a higher percentage of myofibroblasts [alpha-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA)high cells], in comparison to the intralesional population. In conclusion, our data could provide an explanation regarding the inconsistent efficacy of topic therapies for hypertrophic scars.
