Role of Cultured Skin Fibroblasts in Regenerative Dermatology

The skin, as the largest organ, covers the entire outer part of the body, and since this organ is directly exposed to microbial, thermal, mechanical and chemical damage, it may be destroyed by factors such as acute trauma, chronic wounds or even surgical interventions. Cell therapy is one of the most important procedures to treat skin lesions. Fibroblasts are cells that are responsible for the synthesis of collagen, elastin, and the organization of extracellular matrix (ECM) components and have many vital functions in wound healing processes. Today, cultured autologous fibroblasts are used to treat wrinkles, scars, wounds and subcutaneous atrophy. The results of many studies have shown that fibroblasts can be effective and beneficial in the treatment of skin lesions. On the other hand, skin substitutes are used as a regenerative model to improve and regenerate the skin. The use of these alternatives, restorative medicine and therapeutic cells such as fibroblasts has tremendous potential in the treatment of skin diseases and can be a new window for the treatment of diseases with no definitive treatment. NO LEVEL ASSIGNED: This journal requires that authors assign a level of evidence to each submission to which Evidence-Based Medicine rankings are applicable. This excludes Review Articles, Book Reviews, and manuscripts that concern Basic Science, Animal Studies, Cadaver Studies, and Experimental Studies. For a full description ofthese Evidence-Based Medicine ratings, please refer to the Table of Contents or the online Instructions to Authors www.springer.com/00266 .

Characterization of an Enzyme-Catalyzed Crosslinkable Hydrogel as a Wound Dressing in Skin Tissue Engineering

Introduction: Wound healing can have a very important impact on the patients’ quality of life. For its treatment, wound dressings have vital and effective uses. Indeed, the use of a proper wound dressing can improve the healing process and duration. Recently, wound dressings with unique properties have been prepared using natural hydrogels. In addition to the general wound characteristics, new generations of wound dressings, such as those lasting longer on the wound, can have specific properties such as transferring allogeneic cells to enhance the healing effect and speed up the healing process. The present study aimed to prepare a gelatin-based hydrogel and to characterize it for therapeutic purposes. Methods: In this experimental-laboratory study, a gelatin hydrogel was made using a microbial transglutaminase (mTG) enzyme. The prepared hydrogel was evaluated in terms of appearance, physical, and chemical properties. To investigate the biological properties of the hydrogel, cells were cultured on it and the toxicity of the hydrogel for the cells was investigated. The location of the cells on the hydrogel was imaged via an electron microscope. The absorption and reflectance characteristics of the hydrogel were recorded by optical spectroscopy. Data were collected and statistical analysis was performed. Results: The results showed that the mTG gelatin hydrogel had a uniform pore size and good physical, chemical, and mechanical properties for use in wound healing. Cell experiments showed evident cell proliferation and high viability. The results also revealed that the cells grew vigorously and adhered tightly to the hydrogel. Conclusion: The preparation of a gelatin hydrogel under GMP conditions can be considered in the healing of diabetic wounds and burns.