Wound healing

Optimum tension is required for wound response healing

Wound healing in skin is a complex process that involves the coordinated activity of various cell types, signalling pathways, and extracellular matrix components. Reliably recapitulating an in vivo-like wound response in explant tissue is a challenge that requires thorough consideration of all aspects of the tissue culture process. By restoring skins inherent mechanobiology, our unique culture system, TenSkin™, retains skin s physiological complexity, metabolic activity, and structural integrity, enabling the tissue to behave as it would on the body in response to wounding, such as fractional laser ablation or superficial biopsy.

Laser wounding

Fresh wound

No tension

Wound allowed to heal for 48 hours

TenSkin™

Wound allowed to heal for 48 hours

Optimal mechanical tension allows TenSkin™ to mimic complex biological processes (e.g., response to wounding). The figure below illustrates virtually identical expression levels of wound healing proteins in TenSkin™ (keratin 17 shown in orange) when directly compared to the wounded skin of a human volunteer.

The interaction of our skin with the external environment can have significant effects on wound healing. One such example is photobiomodulation from exposure to solar radiation, in particular the UV component of the spectrum. While certain doses can induce positive health benefits, e.g., vitamin D synthesis, higher doses can have detrimental effects on skin health, including its ability to heal. Additionally, consideration of the melanin content of the skin is essential to fully understand the variability of the effects of UV on a population.

Control (no UV) days 1 to 4

UV exposed days 1 to 4

Fitzpatrick type IV

Fitzpatrick type II

Melanin offers a protective effect in response to UV exposure in wounded skin. Type II skin exhibits reduced healing at lower doses when compared to type IV skin.

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