Human adipose tissue-derived cells delay re-epithelialization in comparison with skin fibroblasts in organotypic skin culture.
BACKGROUND
Wound healing of deep and extensive burns can induce hypertrophic scar formation. During the early steps of wound healing fibroblasts migrate into the wounded area. Fibroblastic cells present in tissues other than dermis may also migrate into the wounded area and participate in the wound healing process.


OBJECTIVE
To examine the influence of human fibroblastic cells derived from subcutaneous fat or dermis on epidermal morphogenesis in vitro.


METHODS
We prepared human skin equivalents (HSEs) made of a collagen type I matrix populated either with dermal fibroblasts or adipose tissue-derived cells (ADCs), on top of which keratinocytes were seeded and subsequently grown at the air-liquid interface.


RESULTS
A fully differentiated epidermis was formed on matrices populated with ADCs. However, the HSE formed differed in a number of features from HSE generated with dermal fibroblasts. The major differences included: marked contraction of the dermal matrix, low lateral migration of keratinocytes, high keratin 17 expression indicating increased keratinocyte activation, delayed deposition of collagen IV at the epidermal/matrix junction, accumulation of alpha-smooth muscle actin-positive cells only underneath the epidermal compartment and positioning of these cells in a direction parallel to the epidermal compartment. The latter two phenomena have also been found in scar tissue.


CONCLUSIONS
The possibility of generating HSEs with different cell types represents an attractive approach for in vitro studies focusing on the mechanism of wound healing.
El-Ghalbzouri
A
A
Department of Dermatology, Leiden University Medical Center, Sylvius Laboratory, PO Box 9503, 2300 RA Leiden, the Netherlands.
Van Den Bogaerdt
A J
AJ
Kempenaar
J
J
Ponec
M
M
D000199:Actins / Q000032:analysis; D000273:Adipose Tissue / Q000166:cytology / Q000502:physiology*; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D024141:Collagen Type IV / Q000378:metabolism; D004817:Epidermis / Q000502:physiology; D004848:Epithelium / Q000502:physiology; D051523:Fibroblast Growth Factor 7; D005346:Fibroblast Growth Factors / Q000378:metabolism; D005347:Fibroblasts / Q000502:physiology*; D016178:Granulocyte-Macrophage Colony-Stimulating Factor / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D015603:Keratinocytes / Q000502:physiology; D007633:Keratins / Q000378:metabolism; D009130:Muscle, Smooth / Q000378:metabolism; D012038:Regeneration / Q000502:physiology; D012867:Skin / Q000166:cytology; D012879:Skin Physiological Phenomena; D015854:Up-Regulation
D000199:Actins; D024141:Collagen Type IV; C496453:FGF7 protein, human; D051523:Fibroblast Growth Factor 7; D005346:Fibroblast Growth Factors; D007633:Keratins; D016178:Granulocyte-Macrophage Colony-Stimulating Factor