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Differential expression and regulation of extracellular matrix‐associated genes in fetal and neonatal fibroblasts
Author(s) -
Gosiewska Anna,
Yi ChinFeng,
Brown Laura J.,
Cullen Breda,
Silcock Derek,
Geesin Jeffrey C.
Publication year - 2001
Publication title -
wound repair and regeneration
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.847
H-Index - 109
eISSN - 1524-475X
pISSN - 1067-1927
DOI - 10.1046/j.1524-475x.2001.00213.x
Subject(s) - extracellular matrix , fetus , wound healing , growth factor , fibroblast , transforming growth factor , biology , microbiology and biotechnology , insulin like growth factor binding protein , type i collagen , phenotype , gene expression , endocrinology , andrology , insulin like growth factor , medicine , receptor , immunology , cell culture , gene , genetics , pregnancy
Adults and neonates heal wounds by a repair process associated with scarring in contrast to scar‐free wound healing in the fetus. In the present study, human dermal fetal fibroblasts, representing the scarless phenotype, and neonatal human dermal fibroblasts, representing scar‐forming phenotype, were examined for potential differences that might influence the wound healing process. Fetal fibroblasts secreted four‐ to tenfold more latent transforming growth factor‐β1 depending on the cell strains compared. Fetal fibroblasts also produced higher levels of collagen protein and mRNA for most types of collagen (particularly type III) as compared to neonatal cells. Interestingly, mRNA for type V collagen was significantly reduced in fetal cells. Neonatal fibroblasts expressed significantly higher levels of latent transforming growth factor‐β1 binding protein mRNA, in contrast to almost undetectable levels in fetal fibroblasts. By ligand blot analysis, the levels of insulin‐like growth factor binding protein‐3, a reported mediator of transforming growth factor‐β1 activity, was eightfold higher in neonatal versus fetal fibroblasts. Approximately 20 other mRNAs for various cytokines, matrix molecules and receptors were examined and found to be similar between the two cell types. The phenotypic differences described in this article may represent potentially important mechanisms to explain the differences in the quality of wound repair observed in fetal versus adult/neonatal tissues.