The Role Of Epidermal Stem Cells In Hypertrophic Scar Prevention: An Investigation Using Tissue Engineering Skin

Normal wounds have stop signals that halt the repair process when the dermal defect is closed and epithelialization is completed. When these signals are absent or ineffective, the repair process may continue and result in a condition of excessive scar. A hypertrophic scar is a dermal phenomenon resulting from an imbalance in collagen production and maturation. Although the collagen is produced by the fibroblasts, the extracellular matrix is an area where the epidermal cells have a potential influence. Over the years, an increasing body of evidence has shown that epidermal-mesenchymal interaction may play a major role in dermal cell behaviors and hypertrophic scar formation. Bellemare studied the results of the interactions between dermis and epidermis using tissue-engineered skin model and demonstrated...