Innervated Coculture Device to Model Peripheral Nerve-Mediated Fibroblast Activation.

Area of Science:

• Cell Biology
• Neuroscience
• Tissue Engineering

Background:

• Cutaneous wound healing involves complex cellular interactions, with dermal fibroblasts playing a key role.
• Peripheral nerve damage impairs wound healing, suggesting a role for nerves in the process.
• The direct cell-cell interaction between nerves and fibroblasts in wound healing remains understudied.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the direct interaction between sensory nerves and dermal fibroblasts.
• To elucidate the role of nerve-fibroblast communication in regulating wound healing processes.
• To establish an in vitro model for studying nerve-cell interactions in wound healing.

Main Methods:

• Development of an in vitro co-culture model using the IFlowPlate device.
• Long-term co-culture of dorsal root ganglia (sensory neurons) with dermal fibroblasts.
• Analysis of fibroblast proliferation, gene expression (collagen, α-smooth muscle actin), and factor secretion.

Main Results:

• Co-culture significantly increased dermal fibroblast proliferation.
• Enhanced expression of collagen and α-smooth muscle actin was observed in fibroblasts.
• Secretion of pro-wound healing factors by fibroblasts was upregulated upon co-culture with sensory nerves.

Conclusions:

• Direct cell-cell contact between sensory nerves and dermal fibroblasts promotes fibroblast activation.
• Nerve-fibroblast interactions are a critical component of effective wound healing.
• The IFlowPlate is a valuable platform for studying in vitro nerve-cell interactions in biological processes like wound healing.