Bio-Engineered Mesenchymal Stromal Cell (MSCs) Grafts for Skin Repair/ Regeneration - Preclinical Aspects

Bio-Engineered Mesenchymal Stromal Cell (MSCs) Grafts for Skin Repair/ Regeneration - Preclinical Aspects

There is growing evidence showing the promise of mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) for the treatment of cutaneous wound healing. In a previous study, we have shown that MSCs seeded on an artificial dermal matrix, Integra® enriched with platelet rich plasma (EmatrixTM) have enhanced proliferative potential as compared to those cultured on the scaffold alone. In this study, we wanted to extend the experimentation by evaluating the efficacy of the MSCs bioengineered scaffolds in the healing of skin wounds. To this purpose, full-thickness skin defects were created on the dorsum of rats and covered with (a) Integra®, (b) EmatrixTM , (c) Integra® plus MSCs, (d) and EmatrixTM plus MSCs, or (e) left to heal spontaneously (control). It was found that the presence of MSCs within the scaffolds significantly accelerated wound healing and greatly ameliorated the quality of regenerated skin; it reduced collagen deposition, enhanced re-epithelization, increased neo-angiogenesis and promoted a greater return of hair follicles and sebaceous glands. In conclusion, the results of this study provide strong evidence that the treatment with MSC-seeded scaffolds represents an attractive approach for augmenting the regenerative potential and enhancing cutaneous wound healing.