Full-Thickness Skin Wound Healing Using Human Placenta-Derived Extracellular Matrix Containing Bioactive Molecules

Abstract

The human placenta, a complex organ, which facilitates exchange between the fetus and the mother, contains abundant extracellular matrix (ECM) components and well-preserved endogenous growth factors. In this study, we designed a new dermal substitute from human placentas for full-thickness wound healing. Highly porous, decellularized ECM sheets were fabricated from human placentas via homogenization, centrifugation, chemical and enzymatic treatments, molding, and freeze-drying. The physical structure and biological composition of human placenta-derived ECM sheets dramatically supported the regeneration of full-thickness wound in vivo. At the early stage, the ECM sheet efficiently absorbed wound exudates and tightly attached to the wound surface. Four weeks after implantation, the wound was completely closed, epidermic cells were well arranged and the bilayer structure of the epidermis and dermis was restored. Moreover, hair follicles and microvessels were newly formed in the ECM sheet-implanted wounds. Overall, the ECM sheet produced a dermal substitute with similar cellular organization to that of normal skin. These results suggest that human placenta-derived ECM sheets provide a microenvironment favorable to the growth and differentiation of cells, and positive modulate the healing of full-thickness wounds.

The Placenta as an Organ and a Source of Stem Cells and Extracellular Matrix: A Review

“…Decellularized ECM may augment endogenous stem cell functions and may be used as carriers for stem/ progenitor cells into damaged, diseased or aged tissues and organs [Lutolf et al, 2009], thus fulfilling a broad range of clinical applications. Placental ECM has been applied as a dermal substitute for full-thickness wound healing [Choi et al, 2013], to promote in vitro and in vivo vascularization, and inhibit fibrosis, in lieu of Matrigel [Moore et al, 2015].…”

“…Additionally, placentas are reported to have anti-inflammatory, antibacterial and antiscarring activities. Those properties, plus the propensity to discard placentas after birth, have promoted interest in using placentas for applications in cell therapy and some regenerative medicine strategies [Lopez-Espinosa et al, 2009;Hong et al, 2010;De et al, 2011;Choi et al, 2013].…”

Placental therapy: An insight to their biological and therapeutic properties

“…Collagens (type I, III, IV, V, VII, VIII and XVI, XVII), the main component in the ECM provide tensile strength, cell adhesion regulation, tissue development, cellular migration and chemotaxis are present in the human placenta [41]. Placenta is also rich in elastin, which provide elasticity to the skin and recoils to tissues like a spring undergoing repeated stretch [39,42]. Besides, fibronectin, important for the maintenance of normal cell morphology, cell migration; and laminin, which play a role in cells attachment, differentiation and tissue survival are also detected in human placental extracts [43][44][45].…”

“…Regulation of angiogenesis, vascular development, hematopoietic development, neuroprotection [42,65] …”

Optimization of Canine Placenta Decellularization: An Alternative Source of Biological Scaffolds for Regenerative Medicine

“…In addition, animal placentas can be collected from castration campaigns or after delivery, causing less ethical problems than those derived from other organs, since they are discarded [Hopper et al, 2003;Barreto et al, 2018]. Considering that the canine placenta is a discarded organ after delivery and it has important components of ECM such as collagen type I, type III, and type IV, laminin, and fibronectin, the placenta has become an interesting source for biological scaffolds, even more so because of its immunogenic, antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, and angiogenic properties and rich ECM [Hong, et al, 2010;Choi et al, 2013].…”