Reprogramming Fibroblasts Promotes Scarless Healing
By HospiMedica International staff writers Posted on 25 Jan 2017 |
Image: Hair follicles induce adipocytes that promote scarless healing (Photo courtesy of the University of Pennsylvania).
A groundbreaking study shows that myofibroblasts can be transformed into adipocytes during wound healing, resulting in regenerated skin rather than scar tissue.
Researchers at the University of Pennsylvania, the University of California Irvine, and other institutions discovered in a mouse model that myofibroblast reprogramming required neogenic hair follicles, which triggered bone morphogenetic protein (BMP) signaling. This, in turn, activated adipocyte transcription factors that are expressed during development, instructing the myofibroblasts to become fat cells. Overexpression of the BMP antagonist, noggin, or deletion of the BMP receptor in the myofibroblasts prevented adipocyte formation.
The researchers showed that the process was dependent on the presence of hair follicles. Adipose cells will not form without new hairs, but once they do, the new cells are indistinguishable from pre–existing fat cells, giving the healed wound a natural look instead of leaving a scar. The researchers added that the increase of fat cells in tissue can also be helpful for conditions that induce adipocyte loss, such as HIV treatment, or for filling in permanent, deep wrinkles. The study was published on January 5, 2017, in Science.
“The secret is to regenerate hair follicles first. After that, the fat will regenerate in response to the signals from those follicles,” said senior author professor of dermatology George Cotsarelis, MD, of Penn. “Our work shows we have the ability to influence myofibroblasts, and that they can be efficiently and stably converted into adipocytes. This was shown in both the mouse and in human keloid cells grown in culture.”
Scars are areas of fibrous tissue that replace normal skin after injury. Apart from very minor lesions, every wound results in some degree of scarring. The scar tissue is composed of collagen, but the fiber composition is different; instead of the normal, random, basket-weave formation of the collagen fibers found in normal tissue, the collagen cross-links and forms a pronounced alignment in a single direction, which results in inferior functional quality.
Researchers at the University of Pennsylvania, the University of California Irvine, and other institutions discovered in a mouse model that myofibroblast reprogramming required neogenic hair follicles, which triggered bone morphogenetic protein (BMP) signaling. This, in turn, activated adipocyte transcription factors that are expressed during development, instructing the myofibroblasts to become fat cells. Overexpression of the BMP antagonist, noggin, or deletion of the BMP receptor in the myofibroblasts prevented adipocyte formation.
The researchers showed that the process was dependent on the presence of hair follicles. Adipose cells will not form without new hairs, but once they do, the new cells are indistinguishable from pre–existing fat cells, giving the healed wound a natural look instead of leaving a scar. The researchers added that the increase of fat cells in tissue can also be helpful for conditions that induce adipocyte loss, such as HIV treatment, or for filling in permanent, deep wrinkles. The study was published on January 5, 2017, in Science.
“The secret is to regenerate hair follicles first. After that, the fat will regenerate in response to the signals from those follicles,” said senior author professor of dermatology George Cotsarelis, MD, of Penn. “Our work shows we have the ability to influence myofibroblasts, and that they can be efficiently and stably converted into adipocytes. This was shown in both the mouse and in human keloid cells grown in culture.”
Scars are areas of fibrous tissue that replace normal skin after injury. Apart from very minor lesions, every wound results in some degree of scarring. The scar tissue is composed of collagen, but the fiber composition is different; instead of the normal, random, basket-weave formation of the collagen fibers found in normal tissue, the collagen cross-links and forms a pronounced alignment in a single direction, which results in inferior functional quality.
Latest Surgical Techniques News
- Miniaturized Ultrasonic Scalpel Enables Faster and Safer Robotic-Assisted Surgery
- AI Assisted Reading Tool for Small Bowel Video Capsule Endoscopy Detects More Lesions
- First-Ever Contact Force Pulsed Field Ablation System to Transform Treatment of Ventricular Arrhythmias
- Caterpillar Robot with Built-In Steering System Crawls Easily Through Loops and Bends
- Tiny Wraparound Electronic Implants to Revolutionize Treatment of Spinal Cord Injuries
- Small, Implantable Cardiac Pump to Help Children Awaiting Heart Transplant
- Gastrointestinal Imaging Capsule a Game-Changer in Esophagus Surveillance and Treatment
- World’s Smallest Laser Probe for Brain Procedures Facilitates Ablation of Full Range of Targets
- Artificial Intelligence Broadens Diagnostic Abilities of Conventional Coronary Angiography
- AI-Powered Surgical Visualization Tool Supports Surgeons' Visual Recognition in Real Time
- Cutting-Edge Robotic Bronchial Endoscopic System Provides Prompt Intervention during Emergencies
- Handheld Device for Fluorescence-Guided Surgery a Game Changer for Removal of High-Grade Glioma Brain Tumors
- Porous Gel Sponge Facilitates Rapid Hemostasis and Wound Healing
- Novel Rigid Endoscope System Enables Deep Tissue Imaging During Surgery
- Robotic Nerve ‘Cuffs’ Could Treat Various Neurological Conditions
- Flexible Microdisplay Visualizes Brain Activity in Real-Time To Guide Neurosurgeons