Geometric organization of collagen fibers in human dermis and deformation mechanism of the fibers underlying pliability of the skin

2022 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 19K10007
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Review Section: Basic Section 56070:Plastic and reconstructive surgery-related
• Research Institution: Kyoto University
• Principal Investigator: Saito Susumu 京都大学, 医学研究科, 准教授 (00450239)
• Project Period (FY): 2019-04-01 – 2023-03-31
• Keywords: イメージング / コラーゲン / 弾性線維 / 皮膚 / ヒト / 三次元

Outline of Final Research Achievements

The dermis is composed of a jelly-like matrix and fibres. The fiber components are mainly collagen fibers and elastic fibers. Collagen fibers give strength to the skin, and elastic fibers give the skin elasticity. So far, the principal investigator has visualized the three-dimensional structure of collagen fibers and elastic fibers by treating the dermis with a method of stretching the dermis in all directions and a method of making the tissue transparent and observing it with multiphoton microscopy. In this research project, we succeeded in visualizing the deformation of human dermis using the method developed. We applied stretching stress in one direction and all directions to the human dermis. Fiber orientation was analyzed for all the layers using a series of images. We succeeded in visualizing the change in 3D fiber orientation of the dermis.

Free Research Field

イメージング

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

体がスムーズに動くためには、皮膚がしなやかに伸び縮みしなければならない。この伸び縮みは真皮のコラーゲン線維や弾性線維が関与している。この健常な柔軟性は疾患や外傷で失われる。例えば、エーラス・ダンロス症候群では皮膚に異常な弾性が生じる。外傷後や熱傷後に瘢痕ケロイドが生じれば、皮膚は伸びなくなり、外傷に対して脆弱となる。人工真皮を用いて再生した皮膚は弾性が乏しく、健常な皮膚が再生できたとは言えない。つまり、真皮の伸展機構を明らかにすることは、疾病学、創傷治癒学、再生医学において極めて重要である。