title: Electric Potential Across Epidermis and Its Role During Wound Healing Can Be Studied by Using anIn VitroReconstructed Human Skin.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  After human epidermis wounding, transepithelial potential (TEP) present in nonlesional epidermis decreases and induces an endogenous direct current epithelial electric field (EEF) that could be implicated in the wound re-epithelialization. Some studies suggest that exogenous electric stimulation of wounds can stimulate healing, although the mechanisms remain to be determined.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  Little is known concerning the exact action of the EEF during healing. The mechanism responsible for TEP and EEF is unknown due to the lack of anin vitromodel to study this phenomenon.
  We carried out studies by using a wound created in a human tissue-engineered skin and determined that TEP undergoes ascending and decreasing phases during the epithelium formation. Thein vitroTEP measurements over time in the wound were corroborated with histological changes and within vivoTEP variations during porcine skin wound healing. The expression of a crucial element implicated in Na+transport, Na+/K+ATPase pumps, was also evaluated at the same time points during the re-epithelialization process. The ascending and decreasing TEP values were correlated with changes in the expression of these pumps. The distribution of Na+/K+ATPase pumps also varied according to epidermal differentiation. Further, inhibition of the pump activity induced a significant decrease of the TEP and of the re-epithelization rate.
  A better comprehension of the role of EEF could have important future medical applications regarding the treatment of chronic wound healing.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study brings a new perspective to understand the formation and restoration of TEP during the cutaneous wound healing process.
authors: Laboratoire d'Organogénèse Expérimentale/LOEX, Centre de Recherche (FRSQ) du CHA Universitaire de Québec and Département de Chirurgie, Université Laval , Québec, Canada .
authors: Véronique J
authors: VJ
authors: Moulin
authors: Laboratoire d'Organogénèse Expérimentale/LOEX, Centre de Recherche (FRSQ) du CHA Universitaire de Québec and Département de Chirurgie, Université Laval , Québec, Canada .
authors: Jean
authors: J
authors: Dubé
authors: Laboratoire d'Organogénèse Expérimentale/LOEX, Centre de Recherche (FRSQ) du CHA Universitaire de Québec and Département de Chirurgie, Université Laval , Québec, Canada .
authors: Olivier
authors: O
authors: Rochette-Drouin
authors: Laboratoire d'Organogénèse Expérimentale/LOEX, Centre de Recherche (FRSQ) du CHA Universitaire de Québec and Département de Chirurgie, Université Laval , Québec, Canada .
authors: Philippe
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authors: Lévesque
authors: Laboratoire d'Organogénèse Expérimentale/LOEX, Centre de Recherche (FRSQ) du CHA Universitaire de Québec and Département de Chirurgie, Université Laval , Québec, Canada .
authors: Robert
authors: R
authors: Gauvin
authors: Laboratoire d'Organogénèse Expérimentale/LOEX, Centre de Recherche (FRSQ) du CHA Universitaire de Québec and Département de Chirurgie, Université Laval , Québec, Canada .
authors: Charles J
authors: CJ
authors: Roberge
authors: Laboratoire d'Organogénèse Expérimentale/LOEX, Centre de Recherche (FRSQ) du CHA Universitaire de Québec and Département de Chirurgie, Université Laval , Québec, Canada .
authors: François A
authors: FA
authors: Auger
authors: Hydro-Québec/Transénergie, division d'Hydro-Québec , Montréal, Québec, Canada .
authors: Daniel
authors: D
authors: Goulet
authors: Institut de Recherche Hydro-Québec (IREQ), Varennes, Québec, Canada .
authors: Michel
authors: M
authors: Bourdages
authors: Direction Santé et Sécurité , Hydro-Québec, Montréal, Quebec, Canada .
authors: Michel
authors: M
authors: Plante
authors: Laboratoire d'Organogénèse Expérimentale/LOEX, Centre de Recherche (FRSQ) du CHA Universitaire de Québec and Département de Chirurgie, Université Laval , Québec, Canada .
authors: Lucie
authors: L
authors: Germain