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Updated: Jun 26, 2026

Improving 2D and 3D Skin In Vitro Models Using Macromolecular Crowding
Published on: August 22, 2016
Enhancing Skin Regeneration Efficacy of Human Dermal Fibroblasts Using Carboxymethyl Cellulose-Coated Biodegradable
You Bin Lee1, Dong-Hyun Lee1, Youn Chul Kim1
1School of Chemical Engineering, Sungkyunkwan University (SKKU), 2066 Seobu-Ro, Jangan-Gu, Suwon, Gyeonggi-Do, 16419, Republic of Korea.
Background:
Polylactic acid (PLA) is extensively used in the medical and cosmetic industries for skin regeneration and as a dermal filler due to its biocompatibility and biodegradability. However, the effectiveness of PLA as a cosmetic filler is limited by its slow degradation rate and poor cell attachment properties. Recent studies have focused on enhancing the performance of PLA by combining it with other materials. This study aimed to evaluate the performance of carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC), known for its high biocompatibility, in comparison with the widely used hyaluronic acid (HA).
Methods:
Two types of PLA-based particles, HA-PLA and CMC-PLA were synthesized by combining PLA with HA and CMC, respectively. After characterizing the particles, we evaluated cell adhesion and viability using human dermal fibroblasts and analyzed gene and protein expression related to cell attachment and angiogenic paracrine factors.
Results:
The CMC-PLA particles maintained a more uniform size distribution than the HA-PLA particles and exhibited superior cell adhesion properties. Cells attached on the CMC-PLA particles showed enhanced secretion of angiogenic paracrine factors, suggesting a potential improvement in therapeutic efficacy.
Conclusion:
CMC-PLA particles demonstrated superior cell adhesion and secretion capabilities compared with HA-PLA particles, indicating their potential for application in skin regeneration and tissue recovery. Further research, including in vivo studies, is required to fully explore and validate the therapeutic potential of CMC-PLA particles.

