A New Animal Model of Proliferative Scarring.

Kim, Young Jin; Jo, Gil Hwan; Chang, Do Myung; Lee, Paik Kwon; Lim, Poong

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Original Article

Journal of the Korean Society of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgeons 1999;26(4):671-676.
Published online July 1, 1999.

A New Animal Model of Proliferative Scarring.

Young Jin Kim, Gil Hwan Jo, Do Myung Chang, Paik Kwon Lee, Poong Lim

Abstract

Proliferative scarring in the form of keloids and hypertrophic scars continues to be a clinical problem for some patients. The lack of an animal model for such scarring has been an obstacle to studying the biology and effective therapy of these entities. Consequently we created an accurate reproductive animal model to systematically study them. Human proliferative scars were explanted into flaps based on isolated vascular pedicles in congenitally rats. We compared the procollagen type III peptide levels of proliferative scar tissue before and after explanting. The procollagen type III peptide levels of explanted proliferative scar tissue remained increased as before explanting. Histological analysis of the explanted proliferative scar tissue revealed that all explants retained their original histotypic character even after 1 year. We could also retain the volume of implanted proliferative scar for 1 year and studied in vitro cellular proliferation. Fibroblast cultures from explanted scars demonstrated less aggressive growth characteristic than those from original surgical specimens. The advantages of this animal model are as follows: 1. The explants retain their histotypical character for a long period. 2. Placement of the explants outside the dorsum of a nude rat makes serial observation and measurement easier. 3. Agents under test can be injected into the explants through a catheter inserted into a single pedicle of island flap without the possibility of spreading systematically.

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