The role of versican in the skin ECM and its interaction with hyaluronic acid

Abstract

The extracellular matrix (ECM) is a structural network that comprises the bulk of the tissues. It acts as a supporting scaffold for the cells to develop their function and plays an active role in many processes such as proliferation and migration. Therefore, the ECM is an interesting object of study for regenerative medicine. In this article we make an extensive review of two key components of the ECM: the glycosaminoglycan Hyaluronic Acid (HA) and the proteoglycan Versican (Ver). These two molecules are present in the skin ECM and play active roles in processes such as differentiation, wound healing, hair follicle cycle and development. In our opinion, further biological insights in these two molecules and their interaction will be of great importance for skin tissue engineering applications.

Human placental extract activates a wide array of gene expressions related to skin functions

“…Versican regulates the cell and tissue behaviors through interactions with various ECM proteins, such as collagen I, fibronectin, and fibulins 42 . In addition, versican interacts with HA to create a pericellular matrix that facilitates cell sorting, proliferation, migration, and survival 43 . In this study, we found that HPE significantly increased the expression of both versican (VCAN) www.nature.com/scientificreports/ and hyaluronan synthase 2 (HAS2) transcripts in NHDF cells.…”