BACKGROUND
The positive effect of dispersed biomaterial on skin reparative processes after thermal and chemical burns has been established in test on experimental animals. The influence of allogeneic biomaterial (AB) on skin healing after cold skin injury has not been investigated yet.
OBJECTIVE
To identify the influence of AB on skin healing processes in experimental rats after cold injury simulation.
MATERIAL AND METHODS
The experiment included 36 non-linear male white rats (body weight 200—250 gr). Cryolysis of rats’ back skin was simulated by liquid ozone (–195.75 °C) for 1 min. Spontaneous injury healing was investigated in control group; dispersed AB in normal saline solution (by 1 ml) was injected subcutaneously into damaged area in the 1st experimental group on 3rd day, and in the 2nd experimental group in 14 days after cold exposure. Skin fragments from damaged area were taken for examination on 7th, 14th, 21st, 30th days after biomaterial injection, in the control group in the same time after cryolysis. Histological examinations were conducted according to the generally accepted standard methods. The expression of transforming growth factor (TGF-b1) cytokine was determined immunohistochemically in tissues.
RESULTS
The subcutaneous AB injection to rats after 3 days into area of cold injury accelerates epithelization and prevents tissues’ scarring. There are marked transformation of formed scar in its area into a dense fibrous connective tissue with increased number of unidirectional fascicles of collagen fibers compared to normal, but there are no signs of inflammatory reactions or gross tissues’ scarring.
CONCLUSION
Early injury epithelization was noted on rats’ skin with simulated cold injury after subcutaneous AB injection. AB prevents gross tissues’ scarring and contributes the formation of connective tissue regeneratus under well regenerating epithelium, that is very similar by structure with dermis.