No more wrinkles and scars? Promising discovery by researchers

Scientists find way to initiate regeneration of fat cells that keep skin healthy. Potentially, this means that wrinkles and scars will soon become a problem of the past.

The breakthrough discovery may lead not only to spectacular treatmentsóin rejuvenating, but perhaps róalso pave the way for scar-free wound healing. Researchers from the University of Pennsylvania’s Institute of Dermatology are behind the discovery.

Komóhe fat cells, also known as adipocytes, are located in the skóthrust of every person. The loss of these comórek occurs with age and during the formation of scars. No adipocytóin is one of the mainówn reasonsóin the appearance of wrinkles in the osób older.

The key in maintaining a youthful appearance skóry and in leveling the scar in the healing process lies in the hair follicles, whichóre release an important molecule that gives a signal for regeneration. This is the so-called. bone morphogenetic proteins (BMPs).

– In principle, we can manipulate wound healing so that it leads to regeneration of skóry instead of creating a scar. The secret is to first bring about the regeneration of the dwellingóin hair. Comófat cells get the signal to regenerate just from the housingóin hair – said research leader Professor George Cotsarelis.

Thanks to the work of scientistsów from Pennsylvania has been shown that BMPs somehow give instructions to comóscar-forming cells to transform into adipocytes.

Photo. Maxim V. Fileus et. al./Science

– Until now, it was thought that myofibroblasts (cellsórki that arise from embryonic connective tissue – mesenchymes, occur in large numbers during the wound healing process) are incapable of becoming another type of cellórek. Our research shows that we can influence these comórki, whichóre can become adipocytes – Cotsarelis added.

To test the theory in practice, the mechanism was tested on mice and on lab-grown próbkach human skóry. When hair follicles were implanted into a wound, once healed, they could not be regrownómend the injured area from the rest of the skóry. However, as the authors of the study point out, there is still a long way to go before the technique can be marketed.

– Our discovery could potentially offer a new strategy for regenerating adipocytesóIn the wrinkled skórze, which could lead to completely new treatmentsóin rejuvenating – explained Cotsarelis.