Cell and tissue research
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Cell and tissue research · Feb 2007
Dermal matrix proteins initiate re-epithelialization but are not sufficient for coordinated epidermal outgrowth in a new fish skin culture model.
We have established a new culture system to study re-epithelialization during fish epidermal wound healing. In this culture system, fetal bovine serum (FBS) stimulates the epidermal outgrowth of multi-cellular layers from scale skin mounted on a coverslip, even when cell proliferation is blocked. The rate of outgrowth is about 0.4 mm/h, and at 3 h after incubation, the area occupied by the epidermal sheet is nine times larger than the area of the original scale skin. ⋯ In addition, the leading-edge cells do not have apparent "purse string"-like actin bundles. The outgrowth stimulated by FBS is inhibited by laminin. These results suggest that dermal substrates such as type I collagen and fibronectin are able to initiate epidermal outgrowth but require other factors to enhance such outgrowth, together with coordinated alterations in cellular phenotype.