Protocol for in vitro skin fibrosis model to screen the biological effects of antifibrotic compounds

STAR Protoc. 2021 Mar 18;2(1):100387. doi: 10.1016/j.xpro.2021.100387. eCollection 2021 Mar 19.

Abstract

Controversies remain over the standard procedures for the modeling of skin fibrosis and its use in in vitro testing of different drugs. Here, we report a reproducible protocol for producing a skin fibrosis model using human dermal fibroblasts seeded in collagen hydrogel. Detailed procedures for the fabrication of cell/hydrogel constructs, fibrosis induction, protein extraction for western blotting analysis are presented along with how this model can be employed for investigating the possible anti-fibrotic functions of certain chemical compounds.

Keywords: Biophysics; Cell biology; Tissue engineering.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Antifibrotic Agents / analysis
  • Antifibrotic Agents / pharmacology
  • Cell Culture Techniques / methods*
  • Cell Proliferation / drug effects
  • Collagen / metabolism
  • Drug Evaluation, Preclinical / methods*
  • Fibroblasts / drug effects
  • Fibrosis / drug therapy
  • Fibrosis / metabolism
  • Humans
  • Hydrogels
  • Models, Biological
  • Skin / drug effects*
  • Transforming Growth Factor beta1 / metabolism

Substances

  • Antifibrotic Agents
  • Hydrogels
  • Transforming Growth Factor beta1
  • Collagen