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Updated: Jan 8, 2026
Organotypic Collagen I Assay: A Malleable Platform to Assess Cell Behaviour in a 3-Dimensional Context
Published on: October 13, 2011
Comparative Analysis of Collagen Induction in Sprague Dawley Rat Model Using Absorbable Threads for Facial Lifting
Linh Thi Thuy Le1,2,3, Nguyen Ngan Giang4,2, Thuy-Tien Thi Trinh2,5
1Department of Biomedical Science, College of Medicine, Seoul National University, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
Background:
This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy and biocompatibility of various absorbable threads from Hans BioMed for facial lifting in a Sprague Dawley rat model, focusing on collagen production, inflammatory responses, and overall skin remodeling.
Methods:
Six types of absorbable threads, PCL, PDO, PDLLA, PLCL, and two P4HB variants (55 and 90% elongation) from Hans BioMed, were analyzed using histological, immunohistochemical, and molecular methods for observation, including 1, 2, 4, and 8 weeks post-thread insertion. Total 140 rats were used with 20 rats for each thread group, in which five rats for each time point.
Results:
Firstly, inflammatory markers, including TNF-α and IL-6, peaked at 1 week and subsided significantly by 8 weeks, confirming the safety profile of all threads. The overall results demonstrated that all threads induced collagen formation and reduced inflammation over time. Notably, collagen 1 levels in all testing groups steadily increased from 2 to 8 weeks, complemented by reduced metalloproteinase expression, indicating preserved collagen stability, observed in Western Blotting. Additionally, RT-PCR highlighted increased expression of collagen-related genes and elevated TGF-β and α-SMA levels, suggesting enhanced skin remodeling capabilities.
Conclusion:
All tested absorbable threads promoted collagen formation and showed minimal response to inflammation over time. The findings provide a foundation for developing advanced thread-lifting products, offering improved skin elasticity, firmness, and collagen synthesis outcomes.
No Level Assigned:
This journal requires that authors assign a level of evidence to each submission to which Evidence-Based Medicine rankings are applicable. This excludes Review Articles, Book Reviews, and manuscripts that concern Basic Science, Animal Studies, Cadaver Studies, and Experimental Studies. For a full description of these Evidence-Based Medicine ratings, please refer to the Table of Contents or the online Instructions to Authors https://link.springer.com/journal/00266 .
