In Situ Construction of Fascial Analogues Induced by Low-Growth-Factor Matrigel

Fascia serves as both a mechanical scaffold and a progenitor cell reservoir critical for wound healing and tissue regeneration. This study developed an In Situ Induced Fascial Analogue (iFA) via low-growth-factor Matrigel injection into mouse subcutaneous fascia, using silicone as a control. At 14 days, histological and ultrastructural analyses showed that the iFA possessed an organized collagen architecture comparable to native fascia, distinct from the dense fibrous capsules in controls. qPCR and immunofluorescence revealed a pro-reparative macrophage-associated microenvironment characterized by increased CD206 expression and demonstrated the enrichment of CD34⁺/PDGFRα⁺ co-expressing telocytes (TCs) within the iFA, consistent with their characteristic molecular and ultrastructural features. Ex vivo assays demonstrated cell migratory activity, and in vivo wound healing assays showed that iFA-derived cells significantly accelerated wound closure and re-epithelialization. This study established a structurally biomimetic fascial analogue enriched with CD34⁺/PDGFRα⁺ TCs that avoids pathological fibrosis, providing a novel in situ engineering strategy for generating fascia-like tissues and a platform for future regenerative research.