title: The effects of topical collagen treatment on wound breaking strength and scar cosmesis in rats.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Topical application of collagen has been suggested to enhance wound healing; however, its long-term effect on wounds has not been studied in a rat model.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  Topical application of collagen type I will not facilitate incision healing or cosmesis in rats up to 28 days postwounding.
  
  
  METHODS
  The effects of bovine collagen type I (6 mg/mL) on the rat surgical paired skin incision model were examined. Each rat served as its own control in which topical collagen was applied to one incision while normal saline (0.9%) was applied to the other incision. Rats were euthanized three (n=6), seven (n=6) and 28 (n=5) days after wounding. Tissue harvested from each time point was examined for maximal breaking strength, and for biochemical and histological analysis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There were no statistically significant differences (ie, P<0.05) in maximum wound breaking strength between the collagen- and saline-treated wounds at all time points. Histological analysis revealed a similar infiltration of inflammatory cells and fibroblasts in the wound edges of all incisions when matched with time of wounding. Western blot analysis revealed no differences in fibronectin or collagen I content in all wounds in each rat.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The topical application of collagen did not facilitate wound healing from three to 28 days in the rat wound model.
authors.affiliation: Division of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Department of Surgery; ; Biomedical Technology and Cell Therapy Research Laboratory, Department of Biomedical Engineering, Faculty of Medicine;
authors.forename: Hani
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Sinno
authors.forename: Meenakshi
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Malhotra
authors.forename: Justyn
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Lutfy
authors.forename: Barbara
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Jardin
authors.forename: Sebastian
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Winocour
authors.forename: Fadi
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Brimo
authors.forename: Lorne
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Beckman
authors.forename: Kevin
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Watters
authors.forename: Anie
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Philip
authors.forename: Bruce
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Williams
authors.forename: Satya
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Prakash
keywords: Collagen; Scar formation; Topical application; Wound healing