Migrating Skin Cells Form ‘Bridges’ During Wound Healing, Study

Researchers have discovered that outer skin cells are able to unite to form suspended “bridges” during wound healing.

AsianScientist (Dec. 17, 2013) – A research team from the National University of Singapore (NUS) has discovered that outer skin cells are able to unite to form suspended “bridges” during wound healing.

Led by Professor Lim Chwee Teck from the NUS Mechanobiology Institute (MBI) and Professor Benoit Ladoux from MBI and Institut Jacques Monod, the scientists discovered how skin cells can migrate over regions devoid of support from the extracellular matrix, which are structural proteins that allow cells to adhere to.

The research findings are published in the journal Nature Materials.

Using microfabricated technology, the team found that layers of human outer skin cells, known as keratinocytes, are able to form suspended multicellular “bridges” over regions devoid of extracellular matrix support. Migrating keratinocytes are able to move forward as a united and homogenous collection of cells to form a protective barrier over a wounded area.

Eventually, these cells come together to form suspended “bridges” over regions which are not conducive for cell adhesion. It was previously not understood how this healing process, known as “re-epithelialization,” could occur over a wound bed that did not provide a homogeneous coating of extracellular matrix for cells to migrate on.

The researchers also found out that the suspended cell sheet is created through the build-up of large-scale tension activated by acto-myosin, a kind of motor protein that can cause contraction in cells. They found the cell sheet to be elastic-like in behavior, which partly explained its ability to form multicellular bridges. This phenomenon is not seen in other cell types, which tend to be more fluid-like.

The team hopes to apply the knowledge learnt in the design of artificial skin, and to develop better wound treatment.

“Our study will hopefully pave the way for designing better alternatives that can overcome the current limitations in the field of skin tissue engineering and promote satisfactory skin regeneration. Some potential applications include treating skin burn wounds as well as characterizing the mechanical properties of cell sheets,” said Professor Lim.

The article can be found at: Vedula S et al. (2013) Epithelial bridges maintain tissue integrity during collective cell migration.

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Source: National University of Singapore; Photo: HoskingIndustries/Flickr/CC.
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