Immunohistochemical localization of collagen types I and VI in human skin wounds.
A total of 74 human skin wounds were investigated and collagen types I and VI were localized in the wound area by immunohistochemistry. Collagen type I appeared in the form of ramifying string-like structures after approximately 5-6 days, but positive reactions in the form of a spot-like staining around isolated fibroblasts also occurred in a skin wound aged 4 days. Collagen VI was detectable after a post-infliction interval of at least 3 days showing a strongly positive reacting network associated with fibroblasts in the wound area. Both collagens appeared almost constantly after a wound age of 6-7 days and could also be found in wounds aged a few months. Therefore, although a positive reaction for collagen type I in the form of string-like and ramifying structures around wound fibroblasts indicates a wound age of at least 5-6 days, a spot-like positive staining for collagen type I cannot exclude a wound age of at least 4 days. A positive staining for collagen type VI represents a post-infliction time of 3 days or more. The almost constant appearance of these collagen types suggests that negative results in a sufficient number of specimens indicate a wound age of less than 6-7 days, but cannot completely exclude longer post-infliction intervals. Since collagen type I and VI are also found in the granulation/scar tissue of lesions with advanced wound age, the immunohistochemical analysis of these proteins provides no further information for an age determination of older skin wounds.
Betz
P
P
Department of Legal Medicine, University of Munich, Germany.
Nerlich
A
A
Wilske
J
J
Tübel
J
J
Penning
R
R
Eisenmenger
W
W
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002921:Cicatrix / Q000473:pathology; D003094:Collagen / Q000032:analysis*; D005260:Female; D006097:Granulation Tissue / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D007124:Immunoenzyme Techniques; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011180:Postmortem Changes; D012867:Skin / Q000293:injuries* / Q000473:pathology; D014945:Wound Healing / Q000502:physiology*
D003094:Collagen