Fetal Skin Possesses the Ability to Regenerate Completely: Complete Regeneration of Skin

Abstract

Until a certain developmental stage, cutaneous wounds in mammalian fetuses heal rapidly without scars with complete regeneration of the skin. In the process of fetal wound healing, inflammatory responses, granulation proliferation, and scar formation that are observed in adults are not seen. Numerous studies have reported the causes of fetal scarless cutaneous regeneration, including reduced expression of TGF-β1 and higher levels of hyaluronan in the extracellular matrix, from the viewpoints of molecular biology and cellular biology, but the mechanisms are not completely understood. Although a variety of substances that inhibit scar formation have been investigated, currently it is almost impossible for adult cutaneous wounds to heal completely without scars. Except for a few animal species, perfect regeneration after wounding can occur only during the gestation period. By strictly comparing the stages before and after the transition from the regeneration of skin to scarring, it will be possible to investigate the mechanisms of cutaneous regeneration.

Phenotypic and functional modulation of 20–30 year old dermal fibroblasts by mid- and late-gestational keratinocytes in vitro

“…An increased ratio of type 3 versus type 1 precollagen or collagen is typically found in the ECM of scarless fetal wounds [27,28]. Our current results are consistent with this observation, revealing an increased ratio of type 3 to type 1 precollagen expression in 20-30 year old fibroblasts in the mid-gestational KC group compared with that of the late-gestational group.…”

Wnt signaling induces epithelial differentiation during cutaneous wound healing

“…49,50 In wounds made during the regenerative phase, the skin, including appendages and panniculus carnosus muscle, is completely regenerated, whereas the scarring reparative response does not include regeneration of the hair bulb and skin texture. 51 The major objective of skin wounding research is restoration of the extracellular matrix architecture, and a subsequent return of strength and function to the injured skin. It therefore must overcome the fibrotic nature of post-natal wound healing.…”

Retracted Article: Study of 1550nm Erbium Glass Laser Fractional non-ablative treatment of photoaging: comparative clinical effects, histopathology, electron microscopy and immunohistochemistry

“…The micro-beams (mB) of a 1540-nm laser are co-aligned with optical pins in the device, which are designed to provide skin compression during treatment to remodel the deeper reticular dermis and hypodermis while minimizing epidermal damage (14) . The remodeling matrix collagen is dependent on the TGF-β signaling pathway (15) .…”