ARTICLE: Evolution of Skin Barrier Science for Healthy and Compromised Skin.

Skin is a complex organ comprised of multiple cell types and microstructures that work in concert to serve critical functions and support the body’s homeostasis. It is the outermost, cornified layer of our body that is primarily responsible for the permeability barrier, protecting against external aggressors and preventing water loss from within. The understanding of the organization, functionality, and underlying mechanisms of the skin barrier has evolved greatly through the years.

Biomolecular Analysis of Beta Dose-Dependent Cutaneous Radiation Injury in a Porcine Model.

While cutaneous radiation injury (CRI) is generally referenced as a consequence of a nuclear attack, it can also be caused by less dangerous events such as the use of dirty bombs, industrial radiological accidents, or accidental overexposure of beta (β) particle or gamma (γ) radiation sources in medical procedures. Although the gross clinical consequences of these injuries have been well documented, relatively little is known about the molecular changes underlying the progression of pathology. Here we describe a porcine model of cutaneous radiation injury after skin was exposed to strontium-90 b particle at doses of 16-42 Gy and characterize the anatomical and molecular changes over 70 days.

In Situ Delivery of Fibrin-Based Hydrogels Prevents Contraction and Reduces Inflammation.

While early excision and grafting has revolutionized burn wound care, autologous split-thickness skin grafts are sometimes unavailable. Tissue-engineered skin substitutes have generated great interest but have proven inadequate. Therefore, the development of novel biomaterials to replace/augment skin grafting could improve burn patient outcomes.

Ciprofloxacin-loaded keratin hydrogels reduce infection and support healing in a porcine partial-thickness thermal burn.

Infection is a leading cause of morbidity and mortality in burn patients. Current therapies include silver-based creams and dressings, which display limited antimicrobial effectiveness and impair healing. The need exists for a topical, point-of-injury antibiotic treatment that provides sustained antimicrobial activity without impeding wound repair.

An optimized staining technique for the detection of Gram positive and Gram negative bacteria within tissue.

Background: Bacterial infections are a common clinical problem in both acute and chronic wounds. With growing concerns over antibiotic resistance, treatment of bacterial infections should only occur after positive diagnosis. Currently, diagnosis is delayed due to lengthy culturing methods which may also fail to identify the presence of bacteria.

Ciprofloxacin-Loaded Keratin Hydrogels Prevent Infection and Support Healing in a Porcine Full-Thickness Excisional Wound.

Cutaneous wound infection can lead to impaired healing, multiple surgical procedures, and increased hospitalization time. We tested the effectiveness of keratin-based hydrogels (termed "keratose") loaded with ciprofloxacin to inhibit infection and support healing when topically administered to porcine excision wounds infected with . Using a porcine excisional wound model, 10 mm full-thickness wounds were inoculated with 10 colony-forming units of and treated on days 1 and 3 postinoculation with ciprofloxacin-loaded keratose hydrogels.

Opposing effects of collagen I and vitronectin on fibronectin fibril structure and function.

Extracellular matrix fibronectin fibrils serve as passive structural supports for the organization of cells into tissues, yet can also actively stimulate a variety of cell and tissue functions, including cell proliferation. Factors that control and coordinate the functional activities of fibronectin fibrils are not known. Here, we compared effects of cell adhesion to vitronectin versus type I collagen on the assembly of and response to, extracellular matrix fibronectin fibrils.

Fibronectin matrix mimetics promote full-thickness wound repair in diabetic mice.

During tissue repair, fibronectin is converted from a soluble, inactive form into biologically active extracellular matrix (ECM) fibrils through a cell-dependent process. ECM fibronectin promotes numerous cell processes that are critical to tissue repair and regulates the assembly of other proteins into the matrix. Nonhealing wounds show reduced levels of ECM fibronectin.

Recombinant fibronectin matrix mimetics specify integrin adhesion and extracellular matrix assembly.

Tissue engineering seeks to create functional tissues and organs by integrating natural or synthetic scaffolds with bioactive factors and cells. Creating biologically active scaffolds that support key aspects of tissue regeneration, including the re-establishment of a functional extracellular matrix (ECM), is a challenge currently facing this field. During tissue repair, fibronectin is converted from an inactive soluble form into biologically active ECM fibrils through a cell-dependent process.

Chimeric fibronectin matrix mimetic as a functional growth- and migration-promoting adhesive substrate.

Therapeutic protein engineering combines genetic, biochemical, and functional information to improve existing proteins or invent new protein technologies. Using these principles, we developed an approach to deliver extracellular matrix (ECM) fibronectin-specific signals to cells. Fibronectin matrix assembly is a cell-dependent process that converts the inactive, soluble form of fibronectin into biologically-active ECM fibrils.