Skin models

This protocol describes how to follow the behavior of immune cells by imaging ex vivo cultured human or mouse skin biopsies following labeling with antibody or nanobody reagents against specific cell surface markers.

Extensive scars develop in deep wounds as opposed to superficial wounds but it is unclear why. Here, the authors use live imaging of physiologic wounds and scars formed ex vivo to show that fascia fibroblasts upregulate N-cadherin allowing coordinated cell migration that drives extensive scar formation of deep wounds.

Kimura et al. reports a refined human skin equivalent (HSE) model that reproduces traction-force balance in the lateral direction. This tension improves HSE characteristics and promotes skin homeostasis. This model has great potential for applications in drug screening and understanding the molecular mechanisms of drug effects, skin ageing and diseases.