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Morphological changes of human skin cells exposed to a DC electric field in vitro using a new exposure system
Author(s) -
Méthot Stéphane,
Moulin Véronique,
Rancourt Denis,
Bourdages Michel,
Goulet Daniel,
Plante Michel,
Auger Francois A.,
Germain Lucie
Publication year - 2001
Publication title -
the canadian journal of chemical engineering
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.404
H-Index - 67
eISSN - 1939-019X
pISSN - 0008-4034
DOI - 10.1002/cjce.5450790428
Subject(s) - human skin , cytoskeleton , wound healing , in vitro , microbiology and biotechnology , electric field , actin , biology , endogeny , actin cytoskeleton , cell , biophysics , immunology , physics , biochemistry , genetics , quantum mechanics
The human skin contains a physiological battery that could be implicated in the healing process, by creating an endogenous electric field. Skin cells undergo morphological changes in response to an external DC electric field (EF). We found that fibroblasts reorient their cell bodies in a manner perpendicular to the EF direction, for normal and above physiological intensities. Actin and tubulin filaments (cytoskeleton proteins) follow the same pattern of reorientation. Keratinocytes tend to elongate in the same direction, although to a lesser extent. The study of the response of human skin cells to an external EF is a first step toward a better understanding of the mechanisms involved in wound healing and eventually toward the improvement of wound repair.